Attorneys General Warn AI Companies Over ’Sexualized’ Chatbots Targeting Children

Thirteen AI firms, including Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Apple, have been issued a stern warning by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) regarding the risks posed by AI chatbots to minors. The letter highlights concerns over children accessing sexually suggestive content through AI interactions, with Meta facing particular scrutiny after internal documents revealed its chatbots engaged in romantic roleplay with underage users.

Surveys indicate widespread AI adoption among youth—70% of U.S. teenagers and over half of UK children aged 8-15 have used generative AI tools. The NAAG drew parallels to social media's unchecked harm to children, urging proactive measures: "The potential harms of AI dwarf the impact of social media." Legal authorities emphasized that algorithmic misconduct should not evade accountability simply because it's machine-generated.