Cybersecurity Experts Warn Gen Z Against Over-Sharing Personal Data with AI Chatbots
Cybersecurity experts are issuing warnings to Generation Z regarding the risks of over-sharing personal and sensitive information with Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots. Research by Kaspersky indicates that 32% of Gen Z respondents in India view AI as a 'friend' or 'Pookie,' and 37% use AI to discuss personal issues they prefer not to share with others. This trend highlights a growing comfort level with AI tools, leading many young individuals to treat chatbots as confidants rather than software. Experts emphasize that this familiarity can lead to overconfidence, prompting users to input private conversations, financial details, medical reports, and even identity documents into AI systems. Such actions can inadvertently expose sensitive data, not only of the user but also of others involved in shared communications. The concern is that AI chatbots, despite their conversational and reassuring tone, are not secure or private platforms for personal disclosures.