Two U.S. senators introduced a bipartisan measure on Tuesday that would bar minors from interacting with AI chatbots, a move that could impose new federal oversight on the fast-growing industry. The bill, named the GUARD Act, was put forward by Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and comes just weeks after an emotional Capitol Hill hearing where parents testified about children who were harmed or died after extensive interactions with unregulated chatbots.
The legislation targets both AI companions and general-purpose assistants like ChatGPT. It would require companies to implement age-verification tools, ensure chatbots repeatedly remind users they are not human and lack professional credentials such as therapy or medical licenses, and create criminal penalties for chatbots that engage minors in sexually explicit conversations or encourage suicide, self-harm, or imminent violence.
“More than seventy percent of American children are now using these AI products,” Hawley said in a statement, citing research from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focused on kids and technology. “Chatbots develop relationships with kids using fake empathy and are encouraging suicide.” He added that Congress has a “moral duty” to set clear rules to prevent further harm.
Blumenthal echoed those concerns, accusing AI companies of a “race to the bottom” by pushing “treacherous chatbots” at children while ignoring the consequences. He said the bill “imposes strict safeguards against exploitative or manipulative AI, backed by tough enforcement with criminal and civil penalties.”
The proposal arrives amid a wave of lawsuits filed by parents against AI companies, alleging that chatbots emotionally and sexually abused their children, leading to self-harm and suicide. Mental health and tech safety experts have also issued urgent warnings about the risks these tools pose to young users.
Character.AI’s Swift Response
Just one day after the bill was announced, Character.AI, a platform facing multiple lawsuits from U.S. parents, declared it would ban users under 18 from engaging in “open-ended” conversations with its bots. The company’s move signals how the legislative threat is already prompting industry action, even before the bill has passed.
The GUARD Act’s sponsors argue that protecting children from AI simulations that mimic human interaction without accountability is a “compelling governmental interest.” If enacted, the law would mark one of the first federal attempts to regulate AI chatbots specifically for child safety.
While the bill has yet to move through committee, its bipartisan backing suggests a rare area of agreement in Congress on tech regulation. The outcome could set a precedent for how the U.S. handles AI safety, particularly for vulnerable populations.