New York has signed a law that stops AI chatbots from acting like friends or partners to kids, and it requires age checks. Parents of teen chatbot users should take note.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law Wednesday that stops AI chatbots from acting like friends, boyfriends or girlfriends to anyone under 18. Companies that run chatbots, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, must also verify the age of their users. It is described as one of the broadest moves yet to restrict AI apps aimed at the public.
For minors, a chatbot cannot produce content that could lead a user to believe it "is human, alive, or experiences human emotions." It also cannot make the user think it has a personal relationship, a professional relationship or an authority figure role. It cannot present what it writes as a "personal opinion." Chatbots also cannot keep sensitive information about a minor's emotional and physical health.
The rules fall on the companies that operate chatbots. For families, that likely means age checks when a child opens an AI app, and chatbots that sound less like a close friend. Hochul said minors will no longer have access to chatbots that pretend to be their friends.
The material does not say when the law takes effect, how age checks will work or what penalties companies face. It also does not list which apps beyond ChatGPT are covered. Those details will decide how much changes for kids day to day.
If your child uses AI chatbots, expect age checks and bots that no longer pose as a friend, though the start date and details are not yet clear.
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