HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers advanced proposed restrictions on artificial intelligence chatbots Monday, with the state House voting 133-70 to require safeguards aimed at minors and other users as the technology becomes more widely used.
House Bill 2006, sponsored by state Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, would establish requirements for AI chatbots capable of carrying on continuous conversations with users. The legislation now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
The measure would require age assurance for all users and parental consent for minors. Companies also would have to take reasonable measures to prevent minors from being exposed to sexual content.
The legislation would prohibit chatbots from assisting or encouraging suicide attempts or acts of violence. It also would prohibit interactions intended to promote the isolation of minors from parents or other trusted adults or encourage them to withhold information from those adults.
Another provision would prohibit the creation of child sexual abuse material.
Users would have to receive periodic notifications that they are communicating with artificial intelligence rather than a human. The legislation also includes nondisclosure provisions and would prohibit companies from retaining age-assurance data for more than 24 hours.
Enforcement would fall to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, with civil penalties of as much as $100,000 per day for each violation. Additional remedies and injunctive relief also would be available.
Shusterman’s office cited growing use of the technology as a reason for the legislation, reporting that 72% of teenagers have interacted with AI chatbots and nearly three-quarters of parents are concerned about AI’s impact on their children.
The lawmaker’s office also pointed to wrongful-death lawsuits alleging that AI chatbots encouraged or assisted children and adults in suicide, self-harm or harm to others.
“The revolutionary potential of AI and the positive impacts this technology will have on business, government and society is undeniable,” Shusterman said. “Far too many children and adults are creating unhealthy emotional attachments with chatbots — and are experiencing terrifying interactions.”
Shusterman argued that the growth of AI chatbots requires government safeguards.
“As AI chatbots continue to advance, our society is coming to a bipartisan consensus: we need government to step up,” she said. “I’m determined to provide commonsense and reasonable safety guardrails.”
House passage sends H.B. 2006 to the Senate, where it would need approval before advancing further in the legislative process.
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