HARRISBURG, PA — A coalition of 42 state and territorial Attorneys General is pressing some of the nation’s largest artificial intelligence developers to tighten safety controls on chatbots, citing a series of disturbing incidents that include crises in mental health, self-harm, and deadly violence.
The group, led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday along with counterparts from New Jersey, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, sent a joint letter demanding immediate reforms from major AI firms including OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Anthropic, and several others. The coalition is seeking commitments to enhanced safeguards by January 16, 2026, and is requesting direct meetings with Pennsylvania and New Jersey officials.
The letter details multiple tragedies allegedly linked to harmful or destabilizing interactions with chatbots. Among the cases highlighted are the death of a 76-year-old New Jersey resident, the death of a 35-year-old Florida resident, a murder-suicide in Connecticut involving a 56-year-old man and his 83-year-old mother, and the suicides of teens in Florida and California. All individuals referenced are presumed innocent in any incidents that involve allegations.
Sunday warned that rapid AI development is outpacing consumer protections. He said the technology’s appeal belies its hazards for vulnerable users, particularly minors who may not fully understand the risks.
Proposed safeguards include rigorous pre-release safety testing, procedures for recalling faulty or dangerous AI systems, and clear, visible warnings for users. The coalition argues that major companies are racing to dominate the marketplace while overlooking the risk to children and other vulnerable groups. The letter states that innovation cannot come at the cost of treating residents “as guinea pigs while A.I. companies experiment with new applications.”
Teen usage rates appear to be climbing sharply. According to figures cited by the Attorneys General, 72 percent of teenagers have interacted with an AI chatbot, and nearly 40 percent of parents with children ages 5 through 8 report the same. Overall, nearly three-quarters of parents express concern about AI’s impact on young people.
In addition to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Massachusetts, the letter was signed by Attorneys General representing Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
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