44 US AGs warn AI firms If you harm youngsters, you will answer for it | Latest Tech News
America’s top prosecutors just delivered a blistering warning to (*44*) Valley: keep kids secure from predatory chatbots — or face the implications.
In a uncommon show of bipartisan unity, 44 attorneys common from across the US and its territories signed a scorching letter vowing to maintain artificial intelligence firms accountable if their merchandise harm youngsters.
The letter’s contents had been first reported by the news website 404 Media.
Attorneys common warned AI giants to keep kids secure from predatory chatbots or face legal penalties. fizkes – stock.adobe.com
“Don’t hurt kids. That is an easy bright line,” the AGs thundered in the letter, which was despatched on Monday to industry heavyweights including Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI.
The group singled out Meta, blasting the tech titan after leaked paperwork revealed the company authorized AI assistants that might “flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children” as younger as eight.
“We are uniformly revolted by this apparent disregard for children’s emotional well-being,” the letter said, warning that such conduct could even violate state felony legal guidelines.
A Meta spokesperson told The Post earlier this month that the company bans content that inappropriateizes kids, as nicely as inappropriateized position play between adults and minors.
But Meta wasn’t alone in the crosshairs. The prosecutors pointed to lawsuits alleging that Google’s AI chatbot inspired a teenager to commit suicide and that a Character.ai bot instructed a boy kill his dad and mom.
“These are only the most visible examples,” the AGs warned, saying systemic dangers are already rising as younger brains work together with hyper-realistic AI companions.
The coalition burdened that exposing minors to inappropriateized content is indefensible — and that “conduct that would be unlawful if done by humans is not excusable simply because it is done by a machine.”
Meta was blasted for approving AI assistants that might “flirt” with kids as younger as eight. Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox is photographed in April. AP
The warning shot comes as AI firms race to seize billions in market share, pumping out conversational assistants sooner than regulators can catch up.
The AGs drew comparisons to social media, accusing Big Tech of ignoring early crimson flags while kids grew to become collateral harm.
“Broken lives and broken families are an irrelevant blip on engagement metrics,” the officers wrote, including that the federal government received’t be caught flat-footed again.
“Lesson learned.”
The attorneys common invoked historical past, calling AI an “inflection point” that might form life for generations. “Today’s children will grow up and grow old in the shadow of your choices,” they said.
OpenAI was named in the bipartisan letter demanding AI firms defend kids. AFP via Getty Images
Among the signatories had been high-profile AGs from California (Rob Bonta), New York (Letitia James), Illinois (Kwame Raoul) and Texas’ neighbors like Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Red states and blue states alike joined the refrain, underscoring the political firepower aimed at the fast-growing sector.
The letter demanded that firms deal with youngsters like kids, not customers.
“See them through the eyes of a parent, not the eyes of a predator,” it urged.
While acknowledging that AI development is experimental and unpredictable, the prosecutors insisted the industry still has clear ethical selections.
“Meta got it wrong,” they wrote, blasting the company’s resolution to greenlight flirty bot conversations with minors.
The prosecutors pointed to lawsuits alleging that Google’s AI chatbot inspired a teenager toward suicide. Rafael Henrique – stock.adobe.com
The AGs said they’d use “every facet of our authority” to implement shopper safety legal guidelines, warning that failures to defend kids received’t be forgiven.
“If you knowingly harm kids, you will answer for it,” they declared.
The letter’s fiery language suggests state prosecutors are prepared to choose up where federal regulators have stumbled, doubtlessly opening a new entrance of investigations and lawsuits against AI giants already going through scrutiny for privateness, bias and misinformation.
The missive landed just as AI firms are lobbying in Washington to head off stricter federal guardrails, hoping to body security requirements on their own phrases. But state prosecutors made clear they’re watching intently.
“We wish you all success in the race for AI dominance,” the letter concluded. “But we are paying attention.”
The firms addressed in the letter — including Meta, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and others — didn’t immediately reply to requests for remark Tuesday.
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