OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – An Auburn high school student showed 300 educators how artificial intelligence is reshaping teenage relationships and mental health through his award-winning short film.
Beau Thomas, a junior from Auburn, screened his film “Disconnected” at a Kim Foundation conference. The 13-minute film has been in production for over a year.
“I want people to be able to not only watch the struggles of somebody going through it, but come to understand the warning signs and the symptoms of the problem,” Thomas said.
Student draws from personal experience
Thomas said he wanted the film to address the reliance teens have on AI technology.
“It is very similar to a drug,” Thomas said.
Thomas said he drew from his own experiences with AI chatbots.
“I would retract from my actual social circle of friends who cared about me and who were willing to be there for me, but I would kind of choose to talk to these AI bots instead,” Thomas said.
The film depicts teens finding comfort in their phones and automated messages.
“It’s like an angler fish, where they have that lovely little luring light attached to a gaping mouth that is ready to swallow you whole,” Thomas said.
Thomas said the experience mentally drained him.
“It would leave me feeling in dismay, really,” Thomas said.
Foundation highlights youth voices
Molly Verble, executive director of the Kim Foundation, said young people are increasingly turning to technology.
“Now more than ever, they are leaning on their phones, AI technology,” Verble said.
The Kim Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to mental health advocacy.
“You have to hear directly from the youth what the key issues are, what are their challenges,” Verble said.
Film produced through contest
The film was produced by glowmedia and the Clarkson Institute after Thomas’ script was selected from a contest.
Trish Glowacki, founder of glowmedia, said Thomas stood out as a writer.
“He is a gifted writer. You can feel his passion in the project,” Glowacki said.
Glowacki said she has been producing similar films for years after losing a son to an accidental overdose in 2011.
“I lost a son to an accidental overdose in 2011. As a healing process, we wrote a short form music addressing prescription medicine misuse,” Glowacki said.
Thomas said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“I am so incredibly grateful for all of the people that have guided me along this opportunity or have attributed to it,” Thomas said.
Thomas said his main message is about the limits of AI.
“It couldn’t supplement human connection in the way that a lot of people, myself included, sometimes tried to make them,” Thomas said.
To watch the short film: click here.
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