'Social media on steroids.' Advocates for children call for guardrails around AI

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on TIME News or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Child advocates, policymakers and experts are demanding stronger safeguards for artificial intelligence as its influence on children rapidly expands
• At a New York summit organized by Common Sense Media, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and other speakers warned that AI risks repeating—and amplifying—the failures of social media regulation
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced legislation restricting harmful chatbot interactions with children, effective January

🔭 The context: The legislation prohibits chatbots from encouraging suicide, self-harm, secrecy or isolation, engaging in sexually explicit interactions, or discouraging children from seeking human assistance
• Speakers also advocated stronger transparency requirements, independent AI testing, regulatory oversight before deployment and potential criminal penalties for unsafe products
• Beyond safety, experts highlighted concerns about AI companions shaping children's social expectations and generative AI undermining educational assessment

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Its central concern is safeguarding children's wellbeing, learning, social development and equitable access to AI education amid rapid technological transformation

⏭️ What’s next: New York's regulations represent an initial step, but advocates continue to call for federal safeguards and greater accountability from technology companies
• Schools are also facing pressure to redesign assignments and assessments while ensuring students acquire foundational skills and equitable access to AI capabilities

💬 One quote: “AI is a bigger deal. It's basically social media on steroids.” - Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media

📈 One stat: 3 times: Teenagers in households earning under $30,000 are three times more likely to largely or entirely complete homework using AI than teenagers in households earning $75,000 or more, according to Chelsea Clinton

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