AI chatbot safety bills under threat as Newsom ponders restrictions tech groups say would hurt California
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California lawmakers want Gov.Gavin Newsom to approve bills they passed that aim to make artificial intelligence chatbots safer.
But as the governor weighs whether to sign the legislation into law, he faces a familiar hurdle: objections from tech companies that say new restrictions would hinder innovation.Californian companies are world leaders in AI and have spent hundreds of billions of dollars to stay ahead in the race to create the most powerful chatbots.
The rapid pace has alarmed parents and lawmakers worried that chatbots are harming the mental health of children by exposing them to self-harm content and other risks.Parents who allege chatbots encouraged their teens to harm themselves before they died by suicide have sued tech companies such as OpenAI, Character Technologies and Google.
They’ve also pushed for more guardrails.Calls for more AI regulation have reverberated throughout the nation’s capital and various states.Even as the Trump administration’s “AI Action Plan” proposes to cut red tape to encourage AI development, lawmakers and regulators from both parties are tackling child safety concerns surrounding chatbots that answer questions or act as digital companions.
Business An artificial intelligence startup is under fire for allegedly releasing chatbots that harmed the mental health of young people.California lawmakers this month passed two AI chatbot safety bills that the tech industry lobbied against.
Newsom has until mid-October to approve or reject them.The high-stakes decision puts the governor in a tricky spot.
Politicians and tech companies alike want to assure the public they’re protecting young people.At the same time, tech companies are trying to expand the use of chatbots in classrooms and have opposed new restrictions they say go too far.Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resourcesIf you or someone you know is struggling ...