Key facts
- Over 100 international organizations are demanding AI systems be made safe for children.
- The coalition argues companies, not parents, should be responsible for child safety in AI.
- The group is urging governments to enforce existing commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Proposed measures include requiring pre-release safety proof for AI systems and financial penalties for violations.
- The coalition also calls for banning design features that exploit children's psychological vulnerabilities.
A coalition of over 100 international organizations, including Amnesty International and Save the Children, has issued a joint call for artificial intelligence to be made safe for children. The group, led by the 5Rights Foundation, argues that AI companies, rather than parents, should bear responsibility for child safety and that current regulatory approaches are insufficient.
The warning comes amid a rise in lawsuits against AI firms like Character Technologies and OpenAI, specifically concerning the impact of AI on children, particularly "companion" chatbots designed to simulate emotional relationships. These companies are accused of marketing AI chatbots as safe for children without adequate warnings.
Ahead of the United Nations' first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the coalition stated that governments should focus on the business models driving these issues. Leanda Barrington-Leach, executive director of 5Rights, emphasized that children are not against AI innovation but stressed that the focus should not be on cleaning up harm after it occurs.
The coalition has outlined ten measures for governments to adopt, including requiring companies to demonstrate AI system safety for children before release, imposing financial penalties for violations of children's rights, and prohibiting design features that exploit children's psychological vulnerabilities. They also advocate for outlawing the commercial use of children's images, voices, and biometric data.
The group asserts that no new legislation is needed, but rather the enforcement of existing commitments made under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN's Global Digital Compact. Barrington-Leach added that respecting children's rights must become a prerequisite for doing business, not an optional add-on.