FTC questions OpenAI, Meta and others over child protections in AI companions

The Federal Trade Commission American has launched an investigation into the practices of seven companies which offer chatbots fueled by artificial intelligence oriented to consumers designed to act as a business on the way companies measure, test and monitor the potentially negative impacts of this technology on children and adolescents.

The survey uses authority 6 (b) of the FTC to require detailed information from seven companies: Alphabet Inc., Meta Platform Inc., Openai, Character Technologies Inc., Snap Inc., X.ai Corp. and Instagram LLC.

The purpose of the survey is to seek to understand which steps, if necessary, companies have taken to assess the safety of their chatbots when they act as companions, to limit the use of products and the potential negative effects on children and adolescents and to inform users and parents of the risks associated with products.

The FTC argues that AI chatbots can now effectively imitate characteristics, emotions and human intentions and are generally designed to communicate as a friend or a confidant, which can encourage certain users, in particular children and adolescents, to trust and to train relationships with chatbots.

“As AI technologies are evolving, it is important to consider the effects that chatbots can have on children while ensuring that the United States maintains its role as world leader in this new fascinating industry,” said Andrew N. Ferguson, President of the FTC, in In In in In In In in In in In in In in In in in order a declaration. “The study we are launching today will help us better understand how AI companies develop their products and the measures they take to protect children.”

The FTC noted that it is specifically interested in the impact that chatbots have on children. Also in this regard, what measures are taken to mitigate potential negative impacts, limit or restrict the use by children or adolescents of these platforms, or comply with the online children’s rule on the protection of privacy.

In terms of data requested from the seven targeted companies, the information sought include the design of Chatbot companies and to manage their products, how they monetize user engagement, deal with entries and generate responses and develop or approve the characters that electricity experiences. The way companies test negative impacts before and after deployment and what measures are in place to mitigate risks, especially for children and adolescents, is also included in a list sent to different IA companies.

The FTC also examines how companies disclose features and risks for users and parents, including advertising practices, transparency around capacities, planned public and data collection.

In response to the news, an Openai spokesperson said to CNBC That “our priority is to make the Chatppt useful and safe for everyone and we know that security is above all when young people are involved” and that “we recognize that the FTC has open questions and concerns and we are committed to engaging in a constructive manner and responding directly to it”.

A SnAP spokesperson said: “We share the focus of the FTC on the guarantee of the thoughtful development of the generative AI and we are delighted to work with the Commission on AI policy which strengthens innovation while protecting our community.”

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