AI chatbots are ‘clear danger’ to kids: Australian watchdog
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Artificial intelligence-powered chatbots that encourage suicide or hold sexually explicit conversations pose a “clear and present danger” to children.
PHOTO: JACKIE MOLLOY/THE NEW YORK TIMES
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SYDNEY - Chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that encourage suicide or hold sexually explicit conversations pose a “clear and present danger” to children, Australia’s online safety regulator said, as it rolled out new rules governing the services.
The measures are the latest in a series of stringent digital restrictions in Australia, including a world-first social media ban for under-16s. The law takes effect in December and covers a range of services including Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta Platforms, and YouTube.
In a statement on Sept 9, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said children are being exposed to “awful” age-inappropriate content at an increasingly young age. Ms Inman Grant said she had heard of 10-year-olds engaging sexually with the artificial companions, which are mostly unregulated.
Under new rules, sites that display or distribute pornography, or other “high-impact content”, will have to apply age-checking technology to stop children accessing the material. App stores must ensure that apps are appropriately rated, and that age-assurance measures are in place for any downloads.
The rules apply to a range of online services including social media platforms, gaming sites and AI services. Breaches can be punished by penalties of as much as A$50 million (S$42 million).
“I do not want Australian children and young people serving as casualties of powerful technologies thrust onto the market without guardrails,” Ms Inman Grant said. BLOOMBERG
