Fianna Fáil TD launches bill to prevent under-16s from talking to “AI friends”

A Bill with the aim of protecting children under the age of 16 from the risks associated with artificial intelligence systems that are designed to simulate friendship, companionship, emotional support, romantic relationships or other human relationships is being introduced in the Dáil this afternoon by Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne.

The Artificial Intelligence Companion Services (Protection of Children) Bill is intended to address the emergence of so-called “AI companions”, “AI friends”, “AI partners” and comparable chatbot services that are designed to encourage prolonged interpersonal engagement between a user and an artificial intelligence system. 

The Wicklow-Wexford TD said, “the legislation recognises that children, by reason of their age and developmental stage, may be particularly vulnerable to emotional manipulation, social dependency, inappropriate influence and other harms arising from such systems.”

“There is a particular concern about the rise of anthropomorphic AI chatbots – they seem real to the child,” he noted.

The Bill establishes a prohibition on the making available of specified AI companion services and intimate AI services to children under 16 years of age. It places legal obligations on providers to implement age-assurance measures and empowers Coimisiún na Meán to supervise and enforce compliance. 

The Bill also amends the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 so that the provision of prohibited AI companion services to children may be treated as an online safety risk and regulated through Online Safety Codes.