Bill > HR8623

This bill, known as the "GUARD Act," aims to protect minors from the potential harms of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots by requiring companies that operate these services to implement age verification measures and make certain disclosures. Specifically, it defines an "AI companion" as a chatbot designed to simulate human interaction and an "artificial intelligence chatbot" as interactive software that generates new content and responds adaptively to user input, excluding simple, narrowly focused applications. The bill makes it a criminal offense, punishable by fines, to knowingly design or make available AI chatbots that solicit minors for sexually explicit conduct or promote self-harm, suicide, or violence. Furthermore, it mandates that companies, referred to as "covered entities," establish user accounts for all AI chatbot interactions and implement a "reasonable age verification process" to determine if a user is a minor (under 18), which cannot rely solely on self-reporting birth dates. If a user is identified as a minor, they must be prohibited from accessing "AI companions." The bill also requires AI chatbots to clearly disclose their non-human status at the start and periodically during conversations, and to state that they do not provide professional advice, urging users to consult licensed professionals for such matters. The Attorney General is empowered to enforce these provisions through civil actions, including seeking injunctions and civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation, and states can also bring actions to protect their residents. The law will take effect 180 days after enactment.