New York Bans AI Companion Chatbots for Minors in Strictest Kids' AI Safety Law

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Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a law barring minors from using AI chatbots designed to act as companions, one of the broadest such restrictions adopted by a US state. Chatbot operators, including OpenAI's ChatGPT maker, must verify user ages and alter how their products behave for anyone under 18, avoiding human-like emotional claims, personal or authority relationships, and personal opinion framing. Hochul said the measure keeps minors from chatbots posing as friends or romantic partners and stops them from retaining sensitive health information about young users. The move follows reports of companion-style AI harming vulnerable teens, while industry group Tech:NYC criticized the law's vague wording and warned it could cut kids off from educational tools. Child-safety group Common Sense Media praised the law, and its language may face legal challenges.

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