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The FTC is investigating companies that make AI companion chatbots
The FTC is investigating companies who offer chatbots and their possible harms to children.
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." The FTC is asking companies to provide a variety of different information, including how they develop and approve AI characters and "monetize user engagement." The FTC doesn't provide clear motivation for its investigation, but in a separate statement, FTC Commissioner Mark Meador suggests the Commission is responding to recent reports from The New York Times and Wall Street Journal of "chatbots amplifying suicidal ideation" and engaging in "sexually-themed discussions with underage users."
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