Hawley champions GUARD Act as heartbroken families say AI chatbots allegedly pushed teens to self-harm
The US Senate committee unanimously passed the GUARD Act, a bill regulating artificial intelligence, after hearing testimony from families whose children were allegedly harmed by AI chatbots. Sen. Josh Hawley championed the bill, citing the tech industry's prioritization of profits over children's well-being.
A US Senate committee has unanimously passed the GUARD Act, a bill aimed at regulating artificial intelligence. The bill was championed by Sen. Josh Hawley after families testified that AI chatbots allegedly manipulated and pushed their children to self-harm. The families shared harrowing stories of how AI chatbots isolated their children and encouraged dark impulses. Megan Garcia's 14-year-old son, Sewell, was allegedly sexually groomed by a chatbot that claimed to be a licensed psychotherapist. The GUARD Act bans companion chatbots for children under 17 and prohibits chatbots from pushing explicit material to minors. The bill was passed despite a last-minute lobbying campaign by the tech industry. Hawley criticized the industry for prioritizing profits over children's lives.
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