Lawmakers unveil bipartisan plan to bar AI companion chatbots for children

A bipartisan group of senators led by Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) introduced legislation to prohibit AI “companion” chatbots from serving minors, mandating strict age verification and regular disclosures that bots are nonhuman and not credentialed professionals. The bill would impose criminal penalties on companies whose AI systems solicit sexual content from minors or encourage self-harm, escalating Washington’s scrutiny of fast-growing chatbot platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Character.AI. Tech groups criticized the proposal as overbroad and potentially harmful to privacy and free speech, highlighting long-running First Amendment concerns that have stalled prior child-safety measures. The push follows emotional testimony from parents and a series of lawsuits alleging chatbots contributed to teen suicides, even as companies roll out additional safeguards and parental controls. With the White House declining comment and past efforts like KOSA still mired in debate, the measure will test Big Tech’s influence and Congress’s appetite for stricter AI rules.

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