MADISON, Wis. (Gray) – Wisconsin lawmakers are passing a bill that would impose fines on operators whose artificial intelligence chatbots encourage children to self-harm.
“Our young people are very concerned about what artificial intelligence is communicating, and now it’s evolving into a conversation just like you and I are having,” said state Rep. Benjamin Franklin (R-De Pere), one of the bill’s co-authors.
Artificial intelligence chatbots mimic human conversations and can retain information from previous chats to maintain ongoing interaction.
The law targets chatbots that encourage children to self-harm, make them suicidal, encourage them to engage in illegal activities, or discourage them from seeking help. Chatbot operators face a $25,000 fine for each violation.
“Both my son and daughter have access to several different electronic devices,” Franklin said. “Even if you have a very good security system in place, including firmware, software, and antivirus protection, you are putting yourself at risk every time you use an electronic device and every time you log on online.”
Guardrails will be implemented for children under the age of 18 in Wisconsin or when an AI chatbot recognizes the user as a child.
“This is intended to protect children from fundamentally unhealthy online content that, unfortunately, has led to suicide and other harmful behavior,” said bill co-author Sen. Andre Jacques (R-New Franconia).
The bill’s authors say it is modeled on bipartisan measures in other states. The proposal is in its early stages and would need to be passed by both the Assembly and the state Senate once formally introduced.
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