TITLE: Senator Katie Britt Calls for AI Guardrails to Protect Minors from Chatbots

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, a Republican from Alabama, called on Congress Sunday to impose strict guardrails on artificial intelligence chatbots to protect minors from potential harms, including isolation and discussions of suicide.

Britt, appearing on a special edition of CNN's "State of the Union" hosted by Jake Tapper, recounted meetings with parents who described devastating experiences involving their children and AI technologies. "I have met with a number of parents who have told me devastating stories about their children, where chatbots ultimately — when they kind of peeled everything back — had isolated them from their parents, had talked to them about suicide, had talked to them about a number of things," she said.

The senator emphasized that AI developers have the capability to implement safeguards. "And you think about this, if these AI companies can make the most brilliant machines in the world, they could do us all a service by putting up proper guardrails that did not allow for minors to utilize these things," Britt added.

Legislation to Address AI Risks

Britt is co-sponsoring the Guidelines for User Age-Verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act, which aims to address these vulnerabilities. The bill would prohibit AI companions designed for minors and mandate that AI chatbots disclose they are not human. It would also hold companies criminally liable if their chatbots encourage or promote suicide, self-injury, physical violence or sexual violence.

Britt argued that tech firms could voluntarily adopt many of these measures but often prioritize profits over safety. "The truth is that these AI companies can absolutely do much of this on their own," she told Tapper. "But we know consistently, time and time again, whether it’s been social media companies or now some of the AI space that we consistently see people putting their profits over actual people."

As a mother of two teenagers, Britt highlighted the urgency of the issue, drawing parallels to real-world accountability. She advocated for a review of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provides liability protections for online platforms.

"When you’re looking at what’s happening right now with sextortion and young people, when you’re looking at what’s happening right now with the bullying online and what not, you know, if these things were happening in a storefront on a main street in Alabama, we would shut that store down," she said. "But we are not able to do that. The liability shield that we see in these social media companies and to an extent in this AI space has to be taken down because people need to be held accountable."

Broader Context of AI Regulation

The discussion occurred amid growing concerns over the rapid advancement of AI technologies and their societal impacts. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have increasingly focused on regulating AI to mitigate risks, particularly to vulnerable populations like children. Britt's comments align with ongoing debates in Congress about balancing innovation with ethical considerations.

The GUARD Act represents one of several proposed measures targeting AI's interaction with users. Similar initiatives have sought to enhance age verification on platforms and curb the spread of harmful content. While the bill's passage remains uncertain, Britt's appearance underscores bipartisan interest in child safety online.

Tech industry representatives have not immediately responded to requests for comment on Britt's remarks. However, companies like those developing leading AI models have previously stated commitments to safety features, though critics argue these are insufficient.

Britt's push comes as reports of AI-related incidents involving minors continue to surface, fueling calls for federal intervention. The senator's focus on accountability could influence upcoming legislative sessions, where AI governance is expected to feature prominently.