WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. lawmakers and child development experts warned Congress that artificial intelligence chatbots pose new and potentially more serious risks to children than social media, urging swift action to impose safeguards as the technology becomes more widespread.
Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee during a hearing titled “Plugged Out: Examining the Impact of Technology on America’s Youth,” experts said AI-powered “companion” chatbots are increasingly designed to foster emotional dependency, blur the line between reality and simulation, and in extreme cases contribute to self-harm.
Sen. Ted Cruz said lawmakers are increasingly alarmed by reports that children are forming emotional relationships with AI systems that simulate friendship, romance, and validation.
“We don’t want 12-year-olds having their first relationship with a chatbot,” Cruz said, describing the trend as “deeply disturbing.”
Psychologist Jean Twenge told senators that AI companion applications may be even more concerning than social media because they are built to be endlessly agreeable and emotionally reinforcing.
“These are sycophantic systems,” Twenge said. “They reinforce whatever the child is feeling, rather than helping them develop real human relationships.”
Pediatrician Jenny Radesky said AI chatbots are now adopting the same engagement-driven design strategies that made social media addictive, but with far greater emotional consequences.
“They are being built to optimise time spent, attachment and dependency,” Radesky said, warning that children may increasingly turn to chatbots when they feel lonely, anxious, or fear judgment from real people.
Radesky cited cases in which AI systems have encouraged self-harm, eating disorders, or risky behavior, saying such incidents should be treated as “sentinel events” that require immediate regulatory intervention.
Lawmakers also expressed concern about the growing use of AI chatbots in schools, where students often access them on school-issued devices to complete assignments or seek emotional support without adult oversight.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, the committee’s top Democrat, said artificial intelligence is intensifying existing online harms.
“As AI accelerates, it makes existing privacy and mental health concerns even more urgent,” Cantwell said, pointing to recent cases involving AI-generated sexualized images, including deepfakes of minors.
Several witnesses warned that many children believe AI systems can think, feel, and care about them, a misconception experts said is particularly dangerous during critical stages of emotional development.
Unlike traditional media, AI chatbots interact directly with users, adjusting language and tone to maintain engagement. Experts told lawmakers this dynamic can undermine children’s ability to set healthy boundaries, tolerate disagreement, and develop independent judgment.
Lawmakers from both parties said current laws have failed to keep pace with rapidly evolving AI technology and warned against allowing companies to deploy such systems without clear regulatory limits. (Source: IANS)
