KUCHING: The increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) by students, particularly platforms like ChatGPT, has raised concerns over weakening family bonds, said Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.
Mustapha shared an anecdote from a student who admitted to preferring AI-generated answers over seeking advice from their own parents, during the ‘Women’s Seminar: Graceful Charisma, Serene Soul’ event held at Politeknik Kuching today.
“There was a student who said they now prefer asking for advice from ChatGPT over their parents.
“They said, ‘ChatGPT can give solutions quickly and easily, while our parents are always busy’,” he shared.
Mustapha cautioned that such habits, if left unchecked, could lead to a breakdown of core family values and parental roles.
“We must ensure that technology does not dominate us. While we can master it, we must not abandon the noble values taught by our religion,” he said.
He called on the Ministry of Women and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to take the lead in raising awareness among parents, especially young parents, about the long-term impact of digital overexposure.
“In our efforts to manage our children, we often hand them phones or tablets just to keep them quiet.
“But in doing so, they become so attached to technology that it begins to replace our role as parents,” he warned.
Mustapha proposed a coordinated movement to address the issue and preserve family integrity in the age of AI.
“We need to guide our children before technology becomes the dominant influence in their lives,” he said.
