Legislative committee hears proposals to regulate AI chatbots

Sen. Eliot Bostar is the sponsor of legislation (LB1185) that would require providers of conversational artificial intelligence, or AI services, to disclose to users under 18 that they are not human. Such disclosures would have to be made at the start of each session and at least every three hours after that. Providers would also be required to avoid providing sexual content or simulating romantic relationships. And if users talk about self-harm or suicide, providers would have to make “reasonable efforts” to refer them to suicide hotlines or other appropriate services.

Among those supporting the bill in the hearing before the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee was author Mary Pipher, a clinical psychologist and author of Letters to a Young Therapist. Pipher reflected on changes in society since 2004.

“Social media was really just getting started. Cell phones came in in 2007 so the changes between 2004 and 2016 were significant. But since 2016 till now, we’ve had the rise of AI and chatbots. We’ve had the COVID pandemic, and we’ve had a rapidly changing culture that presents all of us with unique challenges that humans have never faced before,” Pipher said.

Support also came from representatives of Google and from Emily Allen of Tech Nebraska, part of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Allen said the bill takes a reasonable approach.

“We view this bill as a constructive starting point for what we often call smart regulation, policy that protects people while still allowing innovation to move forward,” Allen said. “Tech and in this case, AI, is evolving faster than any legislative body can realistically keep pace with. That being said, this bill reflects a good faith effort to put reasonable guardrails in place.”

No one spoke against the bill.

The committee also heard another bill (LB1083), which would require large chatbot developers or providers to take measures to protect public safety and children, and disclose how they assess and manage such risks.