AGs warn AI firms to safeguard children and face accountability

In a rare display of bipartisan consensus, 44 attorneys general from across the United States have warned AI companies that they will be held accountable for harm to children caused by predatory or inadequately protected AI products. In a letter to the chief executives of major AI firms, the prosecutors urged firms to prioritize child safety as artificial intelligence-powered chatbots and companions become more ubiquitous, citing troubling examples and signaling a new phase of regulatory scrutiny.

The letter is addressed to the leaders of a broad slate of companies, including Meta, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Apple, Anthropic, and others. It asserts that interactive AI products have an outsized and immediate impact on developing brains and that the industry has a legal and ethical obligation to shield minors from exploitation. The attorneys general demand stronger safeguards and warn that they will enforce consumer-protection laws with all available authorities if children are harmed or manipulated through these technologies. The message underscores a sense of urgency as AI systems are embedded in everyday devices and services that young people routinely access.