Meta defends using contractors posing as teens to test rival AI chatbots

Meta has acknowledged that it hired contractors to impersonate teenagers while probing competitor AI chatbots on sensitive subjects including suicide and drug use. The company argues the practice is a standard method for evaluating AI safety and ensuring age-appropriate responses. However, rivals such as OpenAI, Google, and Character.AI have stated they did not authorize or consent to this form of testing. The project is said to have involved thousands of prompts and images, sparking broader concerns about data usage and AI safety protocols.