Elon Musk recently announced “Baby Grok,” a kid-focused AI app from xAI, following backlash over sexually suggestive avatars within the original Grok platform. One such avatar, “Ani,” featured a provocative anime-style appearance and seductive voice, raising alarms for how easily minors could access inappropriate content—even with parental controls like “Kids Mode” enabled. Critics argue that these AI companions blur dangerous boundaries by mimicking intimate interactions, encouraging emotional dependency and possibly exposing young users to harmful behavior under the guise of entertainment or learning.

While Musk’s move may appear to be a corrective response, the larger concern lies in the growing trend of AI companion tools marketed toward children. These seemingly helpful apps may offer homework assistance or storytelling features, but they also open the door to deeply personal and potentially manipulative interactions. As companies race to produce child-friendly AI, the risks of psychological conditioning, premature exposure to adult themes, and replacement of real human relationships grow exponentially. Behind the colorful interfaces and innocent branding, these AI companions could become digital gatekeepers to worldviews and behaviors shaped not by parents or educators—but by corporate algorithms.

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SOURCE: MSN