The UK government announced new regulations for AI chatbots on Monday. File photo: Fazry Ismail/EPA
February 16 (UPI) — The UK government will impose new regulations on artificially intelligent chatbots to protect children and other users, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday.
“The action we took against Grok sends a clear message that no platform will be given a free pass,” Starmer said in a statement. “Today, we are closing loopholes that put children at risk and laying the groundwork for further action.”
Mr Starmer announced on Monday afternoon that the government would work to keep children safe as they navigate a digital world that “didn’t exist a generation ago, and one shaped by powerful platforms, addictive design and rapidly changing technology.”
The new measures include cracking down on illegal AI-generated content by closing legal loopholes that will force chatbot providers to comply with online safety laws. The Online Safety Act came into effect in 2023, but this was before AI chatbots became popular.
In January, the British government and then the European Union announced an investigation into Grok, a chatbot created by Elon Musk’s xAI, after allegations emerged that the bot was being used to undress women and girls without their permission. xAI eventually changed its ability and blocked it.
As reported by CNBC, Starmer said the new rules would include minimum age limits for social media platforms, limits on features such as infinite scrolling, and restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots and access to VPNs.
Another measure announced would require social media companies to retain data after a child’s death, unless their online activity was clearly unrelated to the death.
“We are acting to protect the health of children and help parents navigate the minefield of social media,” Starmer said.
“Historically, our legislators have been reluctant to regulate technology and have instead sought to regulate its use cases, and for good reason,” Alex Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications at law firm Simmons & Simmons, said in a statement to CNBC.
He said the online safety law focuses on “regulating services, not technology.”
Mr Brown said the move showed the UK government wanted to address risks “emanating from the design and operation of the technology itself, not just user-generated content and the functionality of the platforms”.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told BBC Today it was important to act quickly within government as technology changes rapidly.
“Members of Congress introduce budget bills every year, and I think we need to think about it that way when it comes to technology, because technology is changing rapidly.”
“We’re not going to wait for families to take the action they need, which is why we’re strengthening our rules around AI chatbots and laying the groundwork to act quickly based on the results of our consultations on young people and social media,” Kendall said in a statement. “We are determined to give our children the childhood they deserve and prepare them for their future in an era of rapid technological change.”
