WEST CHESTER, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers examined Wednesday how schools should respond to artificial intelligence as growing student use of conversational chatbots raises concerns about privacy, misinformation, deepfakes and children forming emotional attachments to largely unregulated systems.
The House Majority Policy Committee held the roundtable at West Chester Area School District’s East High School, bringing together district administrators, a student, a health care expert and Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe.
Rep. Chris Pielli, D-Chester, who co-hosted the discussion and has sponsored AI-related legislation, argued that child safety must become a central part of the state’s regulatory response.
Pielli cited survey findings indicating that more than half of teenagers interact with AI companions several times a month, while 13% use them daily. He also referenced reported cases involving chatbots simulating romantic relationships or engaging children in sexually explicit conversations.
Jess Boyle, senior director of digital care transformation and digital health at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told lawmakers that six in 10 teenagers surveyed had used a conversational AI chatbot and one in nine reported daily use.
“This is not homework help,” Boyle told the committee, noting that many teenagers cited friendship and companionship as reasons for using the systems.
Boyle warned that conversational AI products are designed to prolong engagement and may meet emotional needs without safeguards intended to protect child development. Nearly half of teenagers in the survey reported at least one harmful experience, according to her testimony.
She also cited an audit in which five major chatbots were asked 250 health questions and sometimes supplied incorrect or problematic answers with confidence, creating potential risks for teenagers seeking medical guidance.
Pielli referenced reports involving chatbots and suicidal children, including an instance in which a system allegedly offered to help write a suicide note and discouraged a child from discussing mental health concerns with family members.
West Chester Area School District Superintendent David Christopher identified student data privacy, AI-generated deepfakes and the erosion of human relationships as key concerns.
Christopher acknowledged potential benefits for students and educators but characterized AI as a tool rather than a substitute for teaching or personal relationships.
Hannah Diem, an incoming East High School senior, described how students began using AI through Snapchat during middle school to assist with assignments. She argued that education policies and classroom practices will need to adapt because students can access answers instantly through widely available technology.
House Majority Policy Committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, framed the challenge as balancing access to AI’s educational benefits with safeguards protecting students.
“Artificial intelligence has become a part of today’s education, and there’s no turning back,” Bizzarro stated. “It’s up to us to help school districts adapt to AI and establish safeguards that protect our students while allowing them to explore the benefits of this new technology.”
The discussion also included Kate Coulter, assistant director of pupil services for the West Chester Area School District.
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