Google is set to launch its Gemini artificial intelligence chatbot next week for children under 13 with parent-managed Google accounts, as tech companies compete to engage young users with AI products. “Gemini Apps will soon be available for your child, ” the company stated in an email sent this week to a parent of an 8-year-old. “This means your child can use Gemini” to ask questions, receive homework assistance, and create stories. The chatbot will be accessible to children whose parents utilize Family Link, a Google service that allows families to create Gmail accounts and opt into services like YouTube for their kids. When setting up a child’s account, parents provide personal information such as the child’s name and birthdate to the company. Gemini includes specific safeguards for younger users designed to prevent the chatbot from generating unsafe content, explained Karl Ryan, a Google spokesperson. He added that when a child with a Family Link account interacts with Gemini, the data will not be used to train Google’s AI. The introduction of Gemini for children could accelerate chatbot use among this vulnerable group as educational institutions, businesses, and others deal with the impact of popular generative AI technologies. These systems, trained on vast datasets, can produce humanlike text and realistic images and videos. Google and other AI chatbot developers are fiercely competing to capture the young audience. Former President Trump recently encouraged schools to adopt these tools for education.

Millions of teenagers already use chatbots as study aids, writing assistants, and virtual companions. However, children’s advocacy groups warn that these chatbots may pose serious safety risks and sometimes fabricate information. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode, please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for full access to The Times. Thank you for your patience during the verification process. Already a subscriber?Log in. Want full access to The Times?Subscribe.