A new bill could require artificial intelligence companies to verify the ages of all users of their AI chatbots. Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on Tuesday GUARD Act, which could ban all users under 18 from accessing AI chatbots.
The bill comes just weeks after a Senate hearing where safety advocates and parents highlighted the impact of AI chatbots on children. Under the legislation, AI companies would be required to verify ages by asking users to upload their government-issued ID or provide verification through another “reasonable” method, which could include something like a facial scan.
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AI chatbots would also have to reveal that they are not human every 30 minutes, according to the bill. They would also have to include safeguards that prevent them from claiming to be human, similar to an AI safety bill recently passed in California. The bill would make it illegal to operate a chatbot that produces sexual content for minors or promotes suicide.
“Our law imposes strict safeguards against AI that exploit or manipulate users,” Blumenthal says, noting that any violation could result in criminal and civil penalties. “Big Tech has shown that we cannot trust companies to do the right thing on their own when they consistently put profit above the safety of children.”
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AI chatbots and children: Growing concerns
The debate over online safety for minors has intensified as parents and safety advocates worry about the effects of AI chatbots on children’s psychology and development. Senators Hawley and Blumenthal believe this legislation is necessary to protect young people from harmful influences and exploitation through artificial intelligence.
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Age verification through government ID or other methods is a controversial topic, raising privacy and data security concerns. However, supporters of the bill argue that it is a necessary measure to protect minors from inappropriate content and dangerous situations.
This legislation comes at a time when artificial intelligence and chatbots are becoming increasingly prevalent in everyday life and the need for regulation and protection of users, especially vulnerable groups such as minors, is more urgent than ever.
