Hawley bill, new developer limits on chatbots for minors, highlight age verification risks

Legislation seeking to prohibit artificial intelligence developers from letting children use their chatbots -- along with news of developers proactively implementing age assurance measures to restrict children’s access -- is opposed by industry and got mixed reactions from civil society advocates, in conjunction with privacy and free speech concerns.

Character.AI has joined OpenAI in announcing that it would take measures to control the experiences of those under 18 on its chatbots.

“We will be removing the ability for users...