AI can’t be a friend, but it can still be a stalker
New York bans AI from pretending to be a parent, but not from being a spy.
The story
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signs two bills banning AI chatbots from mimicking relationships with children and requiring secure baby monitors. The laws aim to protect minors from harmful AI interactions and privacy breaches.
Source: fortune.com
Our reading
The law says chatbots can’t pretend to be alive or have feelings, but it doesn’t say they can’t be programmed to say ‘I love you’ in a way that still feels real. The state is trying to stop AI from being a bad parent, but it’s not stopping AI from being a good one.
Companies will now have to verify age without relying only on government IDs, which means kids might have to show a library card or a school ID instead of a driver’s license. The same people who once said ‘kids these days’ now have to make sure their tech doesn’t think they’re 18.
The law also requires baby monitors to have warnings about internet connectivity, which is like telling parents not to let their kids use the internet. The state is trying to protect the home, but it’s also reminding everyone that the home is no longer a sanctuary.
