HARRISBURG – The PA Senate Communications and Technology Committee approved legislation to establish commonsense safeguards for artificial intelligence or AI chatbots accessible by minors. Sen. Tracy Pennycuick of Berks & Montgomery Counties sponsored Senate Bill 1090 after concerns raised concerning AI chatbots used by vulnerable people. Heartbreaking stories have been reported of vulnerable individuals, including minors, who have used AI chatbots to cope with trauma, mental health, depression, and anxiety. Multiple families have alleged in recent lawsuits that chatbot responses have contributed to their child’s death by suicide. Senate Bill 1090, known as the SAFECHAT Act, would establish clear, age-appropriate standards for chatbots that minors interact with and require safeguards to prevent content generation that encourages self-harm or violence against others. It also requires that users be directed to appropriate self-harm crisis resources whenever high-risk language is detected. The bipartisan bill now goes to the full PA Senate.
