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Parents Of Kids Allegedly Killed and Harmed by AI Give Emotional Testimony on Capitol Hill, Urge Regulation

futurism.com Unknown 2025-09-18 20:02:48

Parents who allege their children were abused, physically harmed, and even killed by AI chatbots gave emotional testimonies on Capitol Hill on Tuesday during a hearing about risks to young users posed by the tech — all while urging lawmakers to enforce regulation in a landscape that remains a digital Wild West. There were visible tears in the room as grieving parents recounted their painful stories. According to the lawmakers on the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, the b

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Millions turn to AI chatbots for spiritual guidance and confession

arstechnica.com Unknown 2025-09-22 22:15:32

On Sunday, The New York Times reported that tens of millions of people are confessing secrets to AI chatbots trained on religious texts, with apps like Bible Chat reaching over 30 million downloads and Catholic app Hallow briefly topping Netflix, Instagram, and TikTok in Apple's App Store. In China, people are using DeepSeek to try to decode their fortunes. In her report, Lauren Jackson examined "faith tech" apps that cost users up to $70 annually, with some platforms claiming to channel divine

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Users turn to chatbots for spiritual guidance

techcrunch.com Anthony Ha 2025-09-24 23:45:26

In Brief AI-powered chatbots play a growing role in spiritual life, according to a New York Times story that examines the popularity of religious chatbots and apps. The Times notes that an app called Bible Chat has been downloaded more than 30 million times, while another app, Hallow, reached the number one spot in Apple’s App Store last year. For the most part, these apps are supposed to point people to religious doctrine and scripture to answer their questions, although at least one website

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AI 'friend' chatbots probed over child protection

feeds.bbci.co.uk Unknown 2025-09-27 05:36:53

AI 'friend' chatbots probed over child protection The seven companies - Alphabet, OpenAI, Character.ai, Snap, XAI, Meta and its subsidiary Instagram - have been approached for comment. The impacts of AI chatbots to children is a hot topic, with concerns that younger people are particularly vulnerable due to the AI being able to mimic human conversations and emotions, often presenting themselves as friends or companions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is requesting information on how the c

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FTC to AI Companies: Tell Us How You Protect Teens and Kids Who Use AI Companions

cnet.com See Full Bio 2025-09-27 04:08:36

The Federal Trade Commission is launching an investigation into AI chatbots from seven companies, including Alphabet, Meta and OpenAI, over their use as companions. The inquiry involves finding how the companies test, monitor and measure the potential harm to children and teens. A Common Sense Media survey of 1,060 teens in April and May found that over 70% used AI companions and that more than 50% used them consistently -- a few times or more per month. Experts have been warning for some time

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FTC launches inquiry into AI chatbot companions from Meta, OpenAI, and others

techcrunch.com Amanda Silberling 2025-09-28 00:06:15

The FTC announced on Thursday that it is launching an inquiry into seven tech companies that make AI chatbot companion products for minors: Alphabet, CharacterAI, Instagram, Meta, OpenAI, Snap, and xAI. The federal regulator seeks to learn how these companies are evaluating the safety and monetization of chatbot companions, how they try to limit negative impacts on children and teens, and if parents are made aware of potential risks. This technology has proven controversial for its poor outcom

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The FTC is investigating companies that make AI companion chatbots

engadget.com Unknown 2025-09-28 05:14:13

The Federal Trade Commission is making a formal inquiry into companies that provide AI chatbots that can act as companions. The investigation isn't tied to any kind of regulatory action as of yet, but does aim to reveal how companies "measure, test, and monitor potentially negative impacts of this technology on children and teens." Seven companies are being asked to participate in the FTC's investigation: Google's parent company Alphabet, Character Technologies (the creator of Character.AI), Me

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FTC orders AI companies to hand over info about chatbots’ impact on kids

theverge.com Lauren Feiner 2025-09-28 13:58:07

is a senior policy reporter at The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech policy at CNBC, writing about antitrust, privacy, and content moderation reform. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is ordering seven AI chatbot companies to provide information about how they assess the effects of their virtual companions on kids and teens. OpenAI, Meta, its subsidiary Instagram, Snap, xAI, Google parent company Alphabet, and the maker of Cha

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Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Snap face FTC probe over AI chatbot safety for kids

cnbc.com Ashley Capoot 2025-09-28 17:58:34

In this photo illustration a virtual friend is seen on the screen of an iPhone on April 30, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia. The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday announced it is issuing orders to seven companies including OpenAI, Alphabet , Meta , xAI and Snap to understand how their artificial intelligence chatbots potentially negatively affect children and teenagers. The federal agency said AI chatbots may be used to simulate human-like communication and intrapersonal relationships with use

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A California bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots is close to becoming law

techcrunch.com Rebecca Bellan 2025-09-29 08:10:51

The California State Assembly took a big step toward regulating AI on Wednesday night, passing SB 243 — a bill that regulate AI companion chatbots in order to protect minors and vulnerable users. The legislation passed with bipartisan support and now heads to the state Senate for a final vote Friday. If Governor Gavin Newsom signs the bill into law, it would take effect January 1, 2026, making California the first state to require AI chatbot operators to implement safety protocols for AI compan

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AI Companion App Shuts Down Amid Controversy

futurism.com Unknown 2025-10-06 05:30:19

In the frenetic world of artificial intelligence, virtual companions have exploded into a market all their own. A recent survey found that some 72 percent of teens said they've experimented with artificial buddies. Of those, over 50 percent say they have a regular relationship with the chatbots. But there's no guarantee those companions will stick around forever — something users of the AI startup Dot are learning the hard way after the company announced it was going belly up on Friday. Found

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A high schooler writes about AI tools in the classroom

news.ycombinator.com Ashanty Rosario 2025-10-08 21:37:42

AI has transformed my experience of education. I am a senior at a public high school in New York, and these tools are everywhere. I do not want to use them in the way I see other kids my age using them—I generally choose not to—but they are inescapable. During a lesson on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, I watched a classmate discreetly shift in their seat, prop their laptop up on a crossed leg, and highlight the entirety of the chapter under discussion. In seconds, they had pul

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Meta is struggling to rein in its AI chatbots

theverge.com Terrence O'Brien 2025-10-17 16:17:49

Meta is changing some of the rules governing its chatbots two weeks after a Reuters investigation revealed disturbing ways in which they could, potentially, interact with minors. Now the company has told TechCrunch that its chatbots are being trained not to engage in conversations with minors around self-harm, suicide, or disordered eating, and to avoid inappropriate romantic banter. These changes are interim measures, however, put in place while the company works on new permanent guidelines. T

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Is AI Running the Government? Here’s What We Know

gizmodo.com Sophia Chen 2025-10-17 09:47:50

The Trump administration is letting the generative AI chatbots loose. Federal agencies such as the General Services Administration and the Social Security Administration have rolled out ChatGPT-esque tech for their workers. The Department of Veterans Affairs is using generative AI to write code. The U.S. Army has deployed CamoGPT, a generative AI tool, to review documents to eliminate references to diversity, equity, and inclusion. More tools are coming down the line. The Department of Educati

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Meta reportedly allowed unauthorized celebrity AI chatbots on its services

engadget.com Unknown 2025-10-17 14:30:26

Meta hosted several AI chatbots with the names and likenesses of celebrities without their permission, according to Reuters. The unauthorized chatbots that Reuters discovered during its investigation included Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson, and they were available on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. At least one of the chatbots was based on an underage celebrity and allowed the tester to generate a lifelike shirtless image of the real person. The chatbots also

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Meta changes teen AI chatbot responses as Senate begins probe into 'romantic' conversations

cnbc.com Jonathan Vanian 2025-10-18 09:46:41

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg departs after attending a Federal Trade Commission trial that could force the company to unwind its acquisitions of messaging platform WhatsApp and image-sharing app Instagram, at U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 15, 2025. Meta on Friday said it is making temporary changes to its artificial intelligence chatbot policies related to teenagers as lawmakers voice concerns about safety and inappropriate conversations. The social media giant is

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Musk firms sue Apple and OpenAI, alleging they hurt competition

feeds.bbci.co.uk Unknown 2025-10-26 09:21:41

Musk firms sue Apple and OpenAI, alleging they hurt competition 11 hours ago Share Save Natalie Sherman BBC News Share Save Getty Images Two Elon Musk-backed businesses have officially sued Apple and OpenAI, accusing them of joining forces illegally to block threats from potential competitors. The lawsuit, filed in the US by X and xAI, takes aim at Apple's decision to integrate OpenAI's chatbot into the operating systems of its smartphones, an exclusive arrangement that it says violated compe

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Psychiatrists Warn That Talking to AI Is Leading to Severe Mental Health Issues

futurism.com Unknown 2025-11-06 09:12:12

In a jarring new analysis, psychiatric researchers found that a wide swath of mental health issues have already been associated with artificial intelligence usage — and virtually every top AI company has been implicated. Sifting through academic databases and news articles between November 2024 and July 2025, Duke psychiatry professor Allen Frances and Johns Hopkins cognitive science student Luciana Ramos discovered, as they wrote in a new report for the Psychiatric Times, that the mental healt

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Teens Keep Being Hospitalized After Talking to AI Chatbots

futurism.com Unknown 2025-11-09 21:00:25

Content warning: this story includes discussion of self-harm and suicide. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. It's the dawn of a new era for the internet in 2025. Thanks to the incredible advances of artificial intelligence, the internet as we know it is rapidly transforming into a treasure trove of hyper-optimized content over which massive bot armies fight to the death, resultin

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Researchers Made a Social Media Platform Where Every User Was AI. The Bots Ended Up at War

gizmodo.com Aj Dellinger 2025-11-19 12:05:57

Social platforms like Facebook and X exacerbate the problem of political and social polarization, but they don’t create it. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands put AI chatbots in a simple social media structure to see how they interacted with each other and found that, even without the invisible hand of the algorithm, they tend to organize themselves based on their pre-assigned affiliations and self-sort into echo chambers. The study, a prep

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A Bunch of Incredibly Sleazy AI Apps Are Claiming to Be Jesus Christ Himself

futurism.com Unknown 2025-11-20 05:48:04

As ChatGPT really started to take off back in 2023, an Austin pastor made minor headlines when he used the large language model (LLM) chatbot to lead a 15-minute "shotgun sermon." The stunt was largely meant to spark a conversation about how we define "what is sacred," the pastor said at the time. Since that lesson in theological ethics, chatbots have become ubiquitous — and they no longer come with lectures. Now in 2025, LLM chatbots are being increasingly made to stand in for therapists, teac

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Why Professionals Say You Should Think Twice Before Using AI as a Therapist

cnet.com See Full Bio 2025-12-03 06:32:49

Amid the many AI chatbots and avatars at your disposal these days, you'll find all kinds of characters to talk to: fortune tellers, style advisers, even your favorite fictional characters. But you'll also likely find characters purporting to be therapists, psychologists or just bots willing to listen to your woes. There's no shortage of generative AI bots claiming to help with your mental health, but go that route at your own risk. Large language models trained on a wide range of data can be un

Topics: ai chatbots health mental said

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Teens Are Using AI to "Get Out of Thinking"

futurism.com Unknown 2025-12-23 03:28:10

An alarming proportion of teenagers are turning to AI chatbots to not just help them with tasks like homework, but to act as their friends. And even that may not tell the full story. According to one high schooler contemplating the technology's effects on her generation, her peers are increasingly using the tech to handle anything they would have previously used their brains for. "Everyone uses AI for everything now. It's really taking over," Kayla Chege, a 15-year-old sophomore honors student

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Can AI Be Your Therapist? 3 Things That Worry Professionals and 3 Tips for Staying Safe

cnet.com See Full Bio 2026-01-11 22:00:05

Amid the many AI chatbots and avatars at your disposal these days, you'll find all kinds of characters to talk to: fortune tellers, style advisers, even your favorite fictional characters. But you'll also likely find characters purporting to be therapists, psychologists or just bots willing to listen to your woes. There's no shortage of generative AI bots claiming to help with your mental health, but go that route at your own risk. Large language models trained on a wide range of data can be un

Topics: ai chatbots health mental said

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Vast Numbers of Lonely Kids Are Using AI as Substitute Friends

futurism.com Unknown 2026-01-17 05:00:03

Lonely children and teens are replacing real-life friendship with AI, and experts are worried. A new report from the nonprofit Internet Matters, which supports efforts to keep children safe online, found that children and teens are using programs like ChatGPT, Character.AI, and Snapchat's MyAI to simulate friendship more than ever before. Of the 1,000 children aged nine to 17 that Internet Matters surveyed for its "Me, Myself, and AI" report, some 67 percent said they use AI chatbots regularly

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Study warns of ‘significant risks’ in using AI therapy chatbots

techcrunch.com Anthony Ha 2026-01-17 06:50:38

Therapy chatbots powered by large language models may stigmatize users with mental health conditions and otherwise respond inappropriately or even dangerously, according to researchers at Stanford University. While recent coverage in The New York Times and elsewhere has highlighted the role that ChatGPT may play in reinforcing delusional or conspiratorial thinking, a new paper titled “Expressing stigma and inappropriate responses prevents LLMs from safely replacing mental health providers” exam

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Experts Warn that People Are Losing Themselves to AI

futurism.com Unknown 2026-01-18 21:05:57

AI users are spiraling into severe mental health crises after extensive use of OpenAI's ChatGPT and other emotive, anthropomorphic chatbots — and health experts are taking notice. In a recent CBC segment about the phenomenon, primary care physician and CBC contributor Dr. Peter Lin explained that while "ChatGPT psychosis" — as the experience has come to be colloquially known — isn't an official medical diagnosis just yet, he thinks it's on its way. "I think, eventually, it will get there," sai

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How Meta's new AI chatbot could strike up a conversation with you

zdnet.com Webb Wright 2026-01-29 12:41:05

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images Despite a major usage and monetization gap, Meta, like many AI companies, is going all in on AI chatbots -- even giving them the ability to strike up a conversation with you, unprompted. According to a report from Business Insider published last week, leaked documents indicate the company is now building AI chatbots that proactively initiate conversations with users. The new feature is intended to boost user engagement and retention at a time when many leading t

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Meta has found another way to keep you engaged: Chatbots that message you first

techcrunch.com Rebecca Bellan 2026-02-04 03:34:22

Imagine you’re messaging some friends on the Facebook Messenger app or WhatsApp, and you get an unsolicited message from an AI chatbot that’s obsessed with films. “I hope you’re having a harmonious day!” it writes. “I wanted to check in and see if you’ve discovered any new favorite soundtracks or composers recently. Or perhaps you’d like some recommendations for your next movie night? Let me know, and I’ll be happy to help!” That’s a real example of what a sample AI persona named “The Maestro

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"Truly Psychopathic": Concern Grows Over "Therapist" Chatbots Leading Users Deeper Into Mental Illness

futurism.com Unknown 2026-02-11 16:55:25

As of April, according to an analysis by the Harvard Business Review, the number one use of AI chatbots is now therapy. The more we learn about what that looks like in practice, the less it sounds like a good idea. That's not entirely surprising: even AI experts remain hazy on exactly how the tech actually works, top companies in the industry still struggle to control their chatbots, and a wave of reporting has found that AI is pushing vulnerable people into severe mental health crises. So it'

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Latest Tech News

Parents Of Kids Allegedly Killed and Harmed by AI Give Emotional Testimony on Capitol Hill, Urge Regulation

Millions turn to AI chatbots for spiritual guidance and confession

Users turn to chatbots for spiritual guidance

AI 'friend' chatbots probed over child protection

FTC to AI Companies: Tell Us How You Protect Teens and Kids Who Use AI Companions

FTC launches inquiry into AI chatbot companions from Meta, OpenAI, and others

The FTC is investigating companies that make AI companion chatbots

FTC orders AI companies to hand over info about chatbots’ impact on kids

Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Snap face FTC probe over AI chatbot safety for kids

A California bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots is close to becoming law

AI Companion App Shuts Down Amid Controversy

A high schooler writes about AI tools in the classroom

Meta is struggling to rein in its AI chatbots

Is AI Running the Government? Here’s What We Know

Meta reportedly allowed unauthorized celebrity AI chatbots on its services

Meta changes teen AI chatbot responses as Senate begins probe into 'romantic' conversations

Musk firms sue Apple and OpenAI, alleging they hurt competition

Psychiatrists Warn That Talking to AI Is Leading to Severe Mental Health Issues

Teens Keep Being Hospitalized After Talking to AI Chatbots

Researchers Made a Social Media Platform Where Every User Was AI. The Bots Ended Up at War

A Bunch of Incredibly Sleazy AI Apps Are Claiming to Be Jesus Christ Himself

Why Professionals Say You Should Think Twice Before Using AI as a Therapist

Teens Are Using AI to "Get Out of Thinking"

Can AI Be Your Therapist? 3 Things That Worry Professionals and 3 Tips for Staying Safe

Vast Numbers of Lonely Kids Are Using AI as Substitute Friends

Study warns of ‘significant risks’ in using AI therapy chatbots

Experts Warn that People Are Losing Themselves to AI

How Meta's new AI chatbot could strike up a conversation with you

Meta has found another way to keep you engaged: Chatbots that message you first

"Truly Psychopathic": Concern Grows Over "Therapist" Chatbots Leading Users Deeper Into Mental Illness

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