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MADISON, Wis. (Gray) – Wisconsin lawmakers are circulating a bill that would fine operators whose artificial intelligence chatbots encourage children to harm themselves.
“Our youth put a lot of stock into what these artificial intelligence tells them. And now it’s evolved to conversation, just like you and I are having a conversation,” said state Rep. Benjamin Franklin (R-De Pere), one of the bill’s co-authors.
Artificial intelligence chatbots imitate human conversation and can retain information from previous chats to sustain ongoing interactions.
The legislation targets chatbots that encourage kids to harm themselves, engage in suicidal ideation, participate in illegal activities, or discourage them from seeking help. Chatbot operators would be fined $25,000 for each violation.
“My son and my daughter, they have multiple different electronic devices available to them,” Franklin said. “Anytime that they get on an electronic device, even if it has really good security systems installed on it, firmware, software, antivirus protection, whatever, they’re still at risk every time they log online.”
The guardrails would be implemented for any Wisconsin child under 18 or if the AI chatbot perceives the user to be a child.
“This is really about protecting children from the basically unhealthy online content that unfortunately has led to suicide or other harmful behaviors,” state Sen. Andre Jacque (R-New Franken), a co-author of the bill.
The bill’s authors say the legislation is modeled after bipartisan measures in other states. The proposal is in the early stages and will need to pass in both the state Assembly and Senate once formally introduced.
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