CHATBOT Act, AI protection bill backed by Utah Sen. Curtis, headed to Senate floor

SALT LAKE CITY — Several bills meant to protect kids from the potential dangers of artificial intelligence passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday morning, including one co-sponsored by Utah Sen. John Curtis.

That bill is known as The Children’s Health, Advancement, Trust, Boundaries and Oversight in Technology Act, or CHATBOT Act.

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“We have to get this right. That means protecting children without stifling innovation, empowering parents without leaving them on their own, and writing laws that will still make sense years from now,” Curtis said in committee after learning the bills were headed to a full senate vote.

Curtis said that he’s proud to co-sponsor this bill and to have worked with Sen. Mike Lee on the SCREEN Act. He said that bill would require AI companies to give parents control over their children’s AI usage.

CHATBOT Act was bipartisan effort

The bipartisan CHATBOT Act was created with the help of Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, and Democrats Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

Curtis said that the recent votes didn’t get the bill to the finish line, but he said they have made meaningful progress. He also said that the work of protecting children doesn’t stop with these votes. Congress has a responsibility to build a safer digital world for the nation’s youth, he said.

The CHATBOT Act will go to the Senate floor for a vote, but a date for that vote has not been set.

At the time of publication, it was not known if the bill would make it to a full vote before Thursday, the last work day for the Senate before their August recess.