U.S. lawmakers take on AI chatbots, fraud in new bills

April 28, 2026 11:38 AM EDT

FILE PHOTO: A message reading "AI artificial intelligence," a keyboard and robot hands are seen in this illustration created on January 27, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo

By Jody Godoy

April 28 (Reuters) - ‌Members of Congress ​from ​both major U.S. political parties joined to propose new legislation this week related to artificial intelligence, as they ‌aimed to tackle safety concerns without blocking innovation.

Some Republicans and ⁠Democrats are moving to regulate AI amid concerns about the technology's effect on ‌children, workers and cybersecurity.

U.S. Senator ‌Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas who leads the Senate commerce committee, on Tuesday introduced a bill with Senator Brian Schatz, ​a Democrat from Hawaii, that would require AI chatbot companies to offer family accounts where parents could view their children's chat ⁠logs and set time limits.

"With the right safeguards, AI systems can benefit a child’s education ​without putting their well-being at risk," Cruz said in a statement.

OpenAI faces several lawsuits claiming the company violated ​product liability laws, including parents of a ‌teen who died by suicide after ChatGPT allegedly coached him on methods of self-harm. The bill received ⁠support from tech accountability and child safety groups.

A different bill that would require chatbot companies to make certain disclosures when they know the user is ⁠a child passed through a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives in ​March.

On Monday, U.S. Representatives Ted Lieu, a Democrat, and Jay Obernolte, a Republican, introduced a broader proposal supporting AI research, standard setting and education. It would ‌also create a tax break for companies that pay for employee cybersecurity training.

The bill was based on ‌recommendations from a bipartisan House task force on AI, but did ⁠not include proposals on more ‌divisive issues such as ​how AI is used to make housing and employment decisions.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by ‌Aurora Ellis)



Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

You May Also Be Interested In





Related Categories

Reuters