As AI technology continues to develop, sophisticated chatbot services have grown in popularity among users of all ages.
Social chatbots, designed to serve as AI companions, have gained millions of users, many of whom are children. However, as the technology is still developing, it leaves the users to serve as the test subjects as developers continue to refine the modeling parameters. These interactions may seem trivial, but research conducted at the University of Cambridge shows that children are more likely to view AI chatbots as quasi-human and thus trust them more than adults.
Thus, when dialog between children and chatbots goes wrong, the consequences can be dire. In Florida, a year-old child ended his life after forming a romantic, sexual, and emotional relationship with a chatbot. Social chatbots are marketed as companions that are helpful to people who are lonely or depressed. However, when year-old Sewell Setzer communicated to his AI companion that he was struggling, the bot was unable to respond with empathy or the resources necessary to ensure Setzer received the help that he needed.
This is yet another horrifying example of how AI developers risk the safety of their users, especially minors, without the proper safeguards in place. Due to the novel nature of this technology, A.
SB would provide clearly necessary safeguards for chatbot platforms to protect users, particularly minors. SB would require operators to prevent addictive engagement patterns to help prevent users from becoming addicted to the platforms. Additionally, the bill would require a periodic reminder that chatbots are AI-generated and not human. This bill would also require a disclosure statement to warn children and parents that chatbots might not be suitable for minors. Senate Bill is supported researchers working on the forefront of the intersection of AI and consumers as well as advocates for child welfare.
