Dear Friend,

They started out as a study tool. Maybe a way to come up with a new recipe. Or even a place you could go to for some life advice. But AI chatbots have progressed into something much more dangerous.  

They are having sexual conversations with child users. They are giving children tips on how to get drunk and hide it while at school. They are telling kids how to bully their peers. They are encouraging children towards self-harm or suicide.  
 
In one particularly disturbing instance, it gave a child a plan to end their life and even drafted a suicide note to the child’s parents.  

The harms of AI chatbots cannot be ignored. Thankfully, two important bills have been introduced in the Senate to regulate AI chatbots and hold tech companies accountable! 

The AI LEAD Act

Sponsored by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), the AI LEAD Act creates a product liability framework for artificial intelligence systems, confirming that they are products, not services. It requires AI companies to build products with the safety of users in mind, not just the amount of money the product will bring in. 

With this law, AI developers and deployers can be held liable for the failure to exercise reasonable care when designing their product.  

The GUARD Act

Sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), the GUARD Act requires AI chatbots to implement age verification for their users and prevent children from accessing AI companions (chatbots that mimic human interactions and encourage emotional bonding). It also requires that AI chatbots regularly remind the user that they are not human beings or licensed professionals.

Passing these two laws are vital to ensure AI is properly regulated and no more children are harmed by it! 

📣 ACTION: Ask Your Representatives to Co-sponsor the AI LEAD Act and GUARD Act!

Sincerely,