44 State AGs Warn AI Giants: Stop ‘Predatory AI’ Targeting Children—Or Face Legal Consequences

How safe are children when they’re using AI technology? That’s what 44 state attorneys general are asking major AI companies in a strongly-worded warning about protecting kids from harmful technology practices. The attorneys general are demanding these tech giants stop what they’re calling “predatory AI” that targets children, threatening legal action if companies don’t comply.

Parents across the country share these concerns. According to recent data, 82% of parents worry about their kids seeing inappropriate content through AI platforms. Another 77% fear their children are getting false information from these systems. These worries aren’t unfounded. AI-generated content often goes unmoderated, and the technology to detect harmful material can’t keep up with how fast AI is advancing.

Privacy violations are another major issue. Many AI-powered apps for children don’t protect their data properly. These apps collect personal information without proper consent and use it for targeted advertising. Children’s behavioral and creative data gets collected and used to train AI systems. Even surveillance tools meant to keep kids safe can violate their privacy rights. Past failures to enforce privacy laws have led to ongoing exploitation of children’s data. Many children actually want online anonymity to protect themselves and express themselves freely.

The problems don’t stop there. AI algorithms can make existing inequalities worse, especially for vulnerable kids. Children from developing countries, who make up 75% of the world’s youth, face greater risks. Kids with disabilities also experience more harm from biased AI systems. When AI training data isn’t diverse enough, it can accidentally discriminate against certain groups of children.

Commercial exploitation is widespread too. AI systems use algorithm-driven recommendations to keep kids hooked on addictive content. These platforms deliberately maximize engagement, even when it hurts children’s mental health and school performance. Poorly regulated systems push targeted ads to kids and encourage impulse buying. Despite major platforms requiring users to be 13 or older, younger children are regularly accessing these AI tools without proper safeguards.

The mental health impacts are serious. Exposure to addictive AI content connects to negative effects on children’s wellbeing. When kids constantly interact with algorithm-curated content, it can damage their attention spans and hurt their academic success. Mental health experts also warn that AI chatbots often provide generic responses that fail to address the complex psychological needs of young users.

The attorneys general are now putting AI companies on notice that these practices must stop, or they’ll face legal consequences for harming America’s children.