Maybe this is the straw that breaks childhood's back, but they've said the same about every boogeyman since the 19th century. "The real problem is that parents are giving children [books → radio → comic books → rock music → television → video games → D&D → rap music → computers → internet → smartphones → social media → toy that uses AI], not [the actual problem]."
The truth is probably somewhere in between "social media/technology is the cause of all problems" and "social media/technology causes absolutely zero problems that wouldn't be caused anyway"
For sure, there are problems ascribed to all of these things consumed [ignorantly | irresponsibly | in excess]. Still, I've lived long enough to see many of these featured in hysterical "for the children" propaganda, and I find myself recoiling from that, maybe more than most. It's easy to see that AI (LLMs) are next on the list to be vilified, which seems absurd to me.
First, reasoning by analogy (or dismissal by analogy) is a poor way to reason. Second of all, that progression is already part of the problem in a way -- at least part of your progression is one of technology, which is alienating and isolating.
So, I disagree that it's any straw. In fact, I'd argue it's the reverse: AI has just revealed and accentuated the real probelm: social media, smartphones, internet, computers, video games, etc. were already some kind of problem and it's one of magnitude, not some binary condition.
If you're not so quick to leap to the thought terminating cliche you might stop to think that yes, those transitions did change us. And how might we change next after we outsource thinking and socialization to automation rather than just consume media in a different format?
Ultimately, the parent has the full responsibility for their kid, because they have way more involvement in developement of the "core" neural networks of the child.
