(The Center Square) – New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed a pair of bills setting new restrictions on artificial intelligence platforms and the use of chatbots targeting teen social media users and baby monitors.
One bill signed by the governor prohibits AI companies from offering a list of chatbot features – AI programs that pretend to be human users – to anyone under 18 or users whose age hasn’t been verified.
The new law also bans chatbots from promoting sexual activity, suicide, drug and alcohol use, and from encouraging younger users to keep secrets from their parents.
Another bill signed by Hochul sets restrictions on baby monitors that stream audio or video over the internet. Under the new law, baby monitors sold in New York must include features that block third parties from watching or listening to audio produced by the devices. It also requires the devices to have a warning label, telling parents that it connects to the Internet and encouraging them to use security settings.
“As artificial intelligence advances at a rapid pace, there’ve been too many tragic incidents that should have been stopped and as New York’s mom Governor, I’m taking action,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in remarks Wednesday. “No company should be peddling chatbots to kids encouraging self-harm or pretending to be their friend or more.”
Hochul’s office cited a recent survey by the group Common Sense Media which found that 72% of teens have used an AI companion while 52% use one several times a month.
“New York’s uniquely strong approach will build momentum for other states to follow. We’re not waiting for federal safeguards. We’re driving change right now,” the group said in a statement, calling the new laws the “strongest in the nation” protections for children.
The new laws authorize the attorney general to issue fines of up to $25,000 per violation, require companies to forfeit profits from using the chatbots, and compel them to delete user data if they break the law.
The moves come amid heightened concerns in Washington – and stern warnings from the industry – and about the possibly dire consequences of the rapidly evolving machine learning technology.
Hochul, who is seeking another four-year term in next Tuesday’s election, has taken aim at big tech companies over the rapid development of AI platforms despite threats of legal challenges from the industry and a lack of support from the federal government.
Last month, Hochul announced that the state will begin requiring AI companies to register with the state next month and to report critical safety incidents within 72 hours. The Responsible AI Safety and Education, or RAISE Act, which goes into effect in January, sets new state-level transparency, safety, and reporting requirements for developers of the most AI models.
The governor also said New York will be looking at other ways to build on the RAISE Act, including so-called “kill switches” designed to isolate or shut down an advanced AI model if it goes rogue.
President Donald Trump has been critical of efforts by New York and other states to regulate the industry. He has called the angst over the development of AI a “hoax” and says fears of AI destroying humanity are exaggerated.
