If you don't care about the following, it's okay not to respond. I'm just letting you know. I think Scratch is starting to become the new Roblox. Now, no, there's no predators on the site or anything, but Scratch has been adding a few controversial updates lately, especially surrounding generative AI. Scratch has repeatedly stated back in 2023 that generative AI will not be used; at least, not to a heavily reliant level, since I believe using it to a controlled level is okay, as @mres stated on Medium on the article "Generative AI and Creative Learning: Concerns, Opportunities, and Choices" which I believe is related to Scratch. Now, if you have been on Scratch for like ... before August... you'd know that Scratch decided to break this promise. During the 2025 Scratch Conference, we were revealed that Scratch would add an AI chatbot called the "Creative Learning Assistant" (super corporate name imo), or the more simple name "Catbot," that is supposed to "guide you in the right direction," but at least from how it is formatted in the screenshots we have, I believe it can be HEAVILY ABUSED and EXPLOITED, since it can be able to detect everyone's projects and use them to train the AI for "project ideas" (again, they're lying to us about the "not training on users' data" thing). We knew Scratch was experimenting with AI ever since the Face Sensing blocks were released on Scratch Lab back in 2021, but they were NOT to the level that Scratch is striving for right now. So then, why not just remove the AI? ... To be honest, I think Scratch as a whole would be fine with AI. It would just need one MAJOR difference. CONSENT. Scratchers would ask to be able to use the AI, and the AI would only train on projects that the creator agrees to be trained on. Kind of like DeviantArt, almost. Instead of just being a project stalker that is training your projects on AI (plus the fact that, at least from my research, there is no way to opt in or opt out), it'd be able to actually help users in a way that is ethical, gives proper consent, and won't make either party exceedingly angry. While we're years gone from the era of "Scratch deciding not to add AI art to Scratch", we're STILL not out of the "AI" era. I believe Scratch's AI, as well as the Membership bullcrap and negligence of listening to the community fully, I worry Scratch is starting to enter what I like to call its "Greed Era." If Scratch Team is actually reading this thing too, then let me tell you one thing. AI chatbots won't teach children how to code. AI chatbots will teach children how to prompt. This is just my opinion though. I have no harmful intentions, and I am just sharing my thoughts on these situations. Feel free to discuss in the comments. [Music: Labyrinth Zone (2026 mix) - John "Joy" Tay]
