New York enacts ban on ‘unsafe’ chatbot behavior with kids as states push AI reg­u­lation bound­aries – Spectrum News

New York enacts ban on ‘unsafe’ chatbot behavior with kids as states push AI reg­u­lation bound­aries  Spectrum News

The legislation outlines definitions of 'unsafe AI companion features' that will be prohibited when a chatbot interacts with a child under 18. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — New York is enacting farther-reaching restrictions on companion chatbot behavior, as states increasingly move to protect children who use artificial intelligence, regulate how employers deploy AI systems and push developers to prevent an AI-caused catastrophe. Legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul outlines a dozen definitions of “unsafe AI companion features” that will be prohibited when a companion chatbot interacts with a child under 18. A violation could expose a chatbot developer to a lawsuit by the state attorney general’s office. Penalties could include monetary damages, shutting down the chatbot and destroying data.

The law takes effect Jan. 1. Hochul, in the thick of her reelection campaign, signed the bill amid growing warnings about the existential risks posed by the rapid development of AI technology and calls for bold action by a reluctant Washington. With Congress doing little to regulate AI, state legislatures are packed with efforts to wield state consumer protection laws to make AI use more transparent and rein in chatbots and rogue AI frontier models. New York and California are at the vanguard of such laws that also are targeting social media platforms. In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation