Keeping up with AI platforms is difficult when it’s all brand new for everyone: kids and adults alike. Worried parents take to forums, comment sections, and Google searches to understand the latest AI platforms – like this parent reaching out on Reddit in an attempt to learn more about Swerve AI, an app they found on their child’s device. “Found this app on my 14 year old’s phone,” they pitched to the r/SwerveAI community. “Can someone explain to me what this is and if I should be concerned?”
The short answer: yes, parents should be concerned about chatbot apps like Swerve AI. But, as we know, simply informing your child that they shouldn’t be using an app rarely keeps them off it. In this guide to Swerve, we’ll go through the risks to highlight with children and teens, practical ways to keep them safe, and what parents can do to reduce the risks of AI-based harm.
What is Swerve AI?
Swerve AI is a chatbot platform, where users can browse different characters and “talk” to them, building out stories and engaging in roleplay.
The platform allows you to open chats with multiple characters, all with their own “personality” and background: when starting a conversation with a bot for the first time, it offers up a backstory or scenario for you to jump off. You can chat with one character at a time, or bring the different personas together in a group chat. Users can build their own characters, but some are based on existing personalities or people in the real world, like Harry Styles, Elizabeth Olsen, or Jude Bellingham.
Roleplay and places to create fan fiction have existed for decades online – so for concerned parents worried about children speaking to strangers online, AI characters may sound like a safer deal. The chance to tell stories and engage creatively can be an outlet for children, but the reality is that neither option is safe.
Swerve AI: the risks parents need to know
There are now hundreds of character bot platforms available across the internet: in app stores, as websites, and even as an inbuilt feature on social media, such as Meta AI. But no matter the platform, the risks these character chat spaces pose to children remain the same: unrestricted, mostly unfiltered, and often unlimited conversations with AI. Let’s take a look at what parents need to be aware of.
Inappropriate content
Swerve AI is an 18+ application, intended for adult use only. While other platforms like PolyBuzz have attempted to curb NSFW content by introducing filter features such as “Pure Mode” (shock spoiler: the filters don’t always work), a quick scroll of characters on Swerve surfaces suggestive images and sexual themes. Some (milder) examples from our testing include: “The only boy at a girls’ sleepover,” “Older man,” “Your sister who does spicy content vids,” and “Kissing practice”. Many of the characters on the platform are intended for sexual roleplay, and there are no toggles to filter out the more explicit descriptions: the sister with “spicy content vids” is mixed into the list with characters that might be more appealing to younger people, like Harry Potter.
Always-on, instant responses
Unlike a roleplay conversation – or regular conversation with friends and family – there’s no wait needed. Bots respond immediately, and never take a break. They don’t have busy lives to attend to, which means they’re always on, and always “there” for someone to talk to. This can be appealing for young people who feel like they aren’t able to vent to friends and family about particular problems, or might feel as if they are burdening those they love with their thoughts and feelings. A character bot will always be there, with the “right” response ready.
Harmful characters
Characters on platforms like Swerve AI aren’t just sexually explicit: content and descriptions on platforms like this can also be harmful in other ways. Bots can bring up issues surrounding mental health, violence, discrimination, and substance abuse, to name but a few harmful scenarios that can affect young people using the platform.
The potential for emotional attachment
Due to the fact that bots like this are always on, and give immediate responses, children can quickly form attachments to characters, their personalities, and look to them for support or “friendship”. Swerve’s bots also send out push notifications if you haven’t responded to a message for a period of time, grabbing attention once more and making it difficult to really switch off from them.
The non-judgmental nature of chatbots is also appealing to young people: telling mom, dad, a teacher, or a friend about feelings or problems doesn’t always leave children with the response they want or expect. This dynamic can generate an unhealthy attachment for teens (and adults too), where they feel more comfortable talking to online characters and fictional personalities who’ll always be there – unless the plug gets pulled on the data center, of course.
No age-gating or safe-mode features
Swerve’s terms state that only adults can use the platform, setting an age restriction of 18+. But like most character-based bot apps, Swerve AI’s age check consists of the user entering their date of birth, so children can easily get around any age checks by simply registering a fake birthday. As Swerve maintains it’s for users aged 18 and up, the platform hasn’t created any type of parental control or filter – because their services aren’t intended for children. The risk here, therefore, isn’t that Swerve doesn’t offer parental controls, but that children can easily access an app that’s inappropriate for them without age-gating or checks.
In-app purchases and subscription plans
Swerve AI uses a system called “Gems” inside the app to limit how much users can engage with bots. Each reply a user receives costs a certain amount of Gems – with some characters producing more lengthy, detailed, or natural-sounding replies, chats cost more. Once you’ve run out of Gems, you can either complete gamified quests or build streaks to earn more, or purchase Gem packs to keep chatting.
Swerve offers a subscription plan, which varies in price depending on the region, but which includes an ad-free experience and Gem packs every month to keep users chatting. The gamified experience and limits on how much users can engage with characters could encourage teens to part with real-life cash in order to keep the conversation going.
Can I make Swerve AI safe for my child to use?
Like the parent on Reddit asking whether they should be concerned about a platform like Swerve, some parents may also wonder if there is any way for children to make the most of the more “positive” sides of AI roleplay, such as creativity and storytelling, through character apps.
The simple fact is that character platforms like Swerve AI were not designed for children: and the user-generated content, explicit storylines, and inappropriate characters make it an unsafe space for them. But simply telling your child they can’t access a platform often makes them even more determined or curious. So what can parents do to reduce the risk of AI character bots?
1. Speak early, and speak often
While in the grand scheme of technology, AI is a relatively new development, it’s certainly not going anywhere. This means it’s impossible for children to avoid, but we can make them aware of both the positive and negative sides of AI, and teach them to think critically about the ways we use it. Open, ongoing conversations about AI and the role it plays in your child’s life – or will play – are important to have. Pointing out its flaws, and working to understand it together, will go a long way towards building their digital literacy and establishing you as a person they trust to work through new problems together.
2. Make your child’s device or devices age-appropriate
Given that character bots and many different types of AI apps are simply not suitable for teens or young children, your child’s device should be made age-appropriate to help keep them safe and let them enjoy technology without harmful disruptions. Parental control tools like Qustodio can help adjust your child’s online experience: filtering out the bad, while making more space for positive, entertaining, and educational use. Qustodio can send alerts any time a new app is downloaded onto the device, block individual AI apps like Swerve, and block entire app or website categories, such as AI, social media, or gambling, to ensure your child’s experience is right for their age.
Blocking in-app purchases or talking to your child about online spending (if it’s their own money they use on a device) also helps your child make more conscious decisions with in-app purchases or subscription-based services.
3. Understand what their digital world looks like
It’s impossible for parents to keep track of every new app or trend that’s out there, but being more in tune with your child’s online experience will make it easier for you to react to any risks. Talk regularly about their interests, likes, and dislikes, what’s popular or not among their peer group, and how they feel about the tech they use.
4. Offer up alternatives
Bot platforms and AI conversation can be an outlet for teens, or a sign of something they’re missing out on in real life – like connection or understanding. Offering up alternatives and making sure teens get the emotional support they need, whether from friends, family, or other people around them, helps establish offline connections and gives teens creative outlets in different spaces. Promote hobbies and interests, give young people space and opportunity to connect in real life, and make sure your child knows you’re always there for them to open up to about anything that concerns them – online or offline.
Character and companion bot platforms can often feel supportive for teens looking to find new ways to express their interests, develop connection, and feel understood. But they’re no replacement for genuine human connection, and the risks they pose outweigh any potential benefits. By staying involved in your child’s digital life, asking questions with an open mind, and providing them with guidance, you can help make their online experience safer and more rewarding – without unnecessary risk.
