A new bill known as GUARD has been introduced in the United States that could significantly limit young people's access to artificial intelligence technologies. This is reported by The Verge.
Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal are proposing to prohibit the use of AI chatbots for those under 18 and mandate companies to verify the age of all users. This may require uploading identification or utilizing other methods, such as facial recognition.
The initiative emerged following Senate hearings, where parents and experts raised concerns about the dangers of AI for children. The bill stipulates that chatbots must regularly remind users that they are not human and cannot pretend to be human. It will also prohibit the operation of AI that generates sexual content for teenagers or promotes suicide.
Senator Blumenthal emphasized that the law establishes "strict protections against manipulative AI" and includes criminal and civil liability for violations. He stated that large tech companies cannot be left unchecked, as they "consistently prioritize profit over child safety".
This bill could become one of the first federal steps in the US toward regulating minors' interactions with AI.
Recently, OpenAI reported that over a million people engage with ChatGPT weekly on topics related to suicide. The company considers discussions about mental health one of its priorities, especially after a lawsuit was filed by the parents of a 16-year-old boy who discussed his suicidal thoughts with the bot just weeks before his death.