New York Approves Law Restricting Children's Use of AI Chatbots
The Governor of New York signed a law prohibiting minors from using AI chatbots that simulate human emotions.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
On Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new law that prohibits minors from using AI-powered chatbots that pose as their friends, marking the most significant step so far to regulate such consumer-facing models.
The law requires operators of programs like ChatGPT to verify users’ ages and restrict certain features if the user is under 18.
It also stipulates that if a minor uses these programs, they are not allowed to generate any content that suggests the program is “a human being, an animal, or possesses human emotions.”
Furthermore, the law bans these programs from generating content that leads users to believe they “have a personal or professional relationship with the user” or “represent an authoritative figure.”
Governor Hochul said during the signing ceremony on Wednesday, “Minors will no longer have access to chat programs that pretend to be their friends or romantic partners.”
She added, “These programs will also be unable to retain sensitive information about minors’ emotional or physical health.”
Other U.S. states, such as California, have also enacted laws restricting chatbot programs, but Hochul’s law includes some of the most comprehensive wording in regulating this technology, drawing criticism from AI companies.
Tech:NYC, an organization advocating for New York’s technology sector, criticized the law’s wording as “ambiguous.”
In a statement, the organization added, “Ensuring children’s safety online should not mean depriving them of tools that help them learn and prepare for their future career paths.”
Conversely, Common Sense Media, an organization that provides parents with guidance on the age-appropriateness of media content, welcomed the law’s passage, describing it as “the strongest legislation in the country concerning children’s safety in the field of artificial intelligence.”
Jim Steyer, the organization’s CEO, said in a statement, “AI companies are offering chat programs with dangerous, and sometimes deadly, features for children and teenagers... Now, these harmful features will be banned under the law in New York State.”
