Top officials in dozens of states have seen how bad it is for a child when AI chatbots and characters are not being handled. And they have a harsh warning to the industry: “If you intentionally hurt a child, you'll answer that.”
That message is clear in a letter sent this week by 44 state attorney generals to heads of 13 AI companies. AGS told its CEO that it wrote “using every aspect of our authority to protect children from exploitation by predatory artificial intelligence products.”
People have been worried about the impact of AI on children for a while, but interest has risen in recent weeks. The AGS cited a recent report from Reuters that provided meta guidelines. The company told Reuters that the cited examples were “false and inconsistent” with the company's policy banning content that sexualizes children.
Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The AGS said the issue is not limited to meta. “In the short history of chatbot parasocial relationships, we have seen companies repeatedly see incompetent or indifference to the fundamental obligations of protecting their children,” they write.
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The relationship with AI chatbots and the risk of dangerous interactions are more clear. In June, the American Psychological Association issued a warning calling for guardrails on AI use among teens and young adults, saying parents should help their children use the tool widely. The rapid use of AI chatbots as “therapists” has increased the likelihood that people will receive harmful advice in interactions when they are particularly vulnerable. A study published this week found that large-scale language models were inconsistent with answering questions about suicide.
At the same time, there are few actual rules about what AI developers can and cannot do, and how these tools work. The move to stop states from enforcing AI laws and regulations failed in Congress earlier this year, but there is no federal framework yet on how to safely do AI. Like AGS in this week's letter, lawmakers and supporters say they want to avoid the free-spirited atmosphere of the social media era, but it has yet to be seen whether clear rules are in fact in shape. Released in July, President Trump's AI Action Plan focused on cutting regulations for AI companies rather than introducing new companies.
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The state AG said it would put the matter into its own hands if necessary.
“You will be responsible for your decision,” they wrote. “Social media platforms have caused great harm to children because government watchdogs didn't work quickly enough. Lessons learned. The potential harm of AI warns the impact of social media, like the potential benefits. We hope you all succeed in the AI-dominated race. But we are paying attention.”
If you or someone you know feels like they are in danger right away, call 911 (or your country's local emergency) or go to the emergency room for immediate help. Explain that it is a psychiatric emergency and seek out someone who is trained for these types of situations. If you are struggling with negative thoughts or suicide feelings, resources can help. In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
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