Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) interrogated Microsoft President Brad Smith about the minimum age to use the company’s AI-powered search tool, expressing concerns about its potential negative impact on young children.
Hawley’s questioning occurred during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on AI regulation. He wanted to understand why Microsoft has not raised the minimum age for Bing Chat, the company’s AI-driven search assistant launched earlier this year, beyond 13.
“My three kids won’t be interacting with chatbots any time soon,” Hawley stated firmly.
In response, Smith explained that he would not make a unilateral decision on the matter and defended the current age guidelines. He pointed out that students could use the chatbot for educational purposes and in other controlled situations.
However, Hawley remained unconvinced. He cited a New York Times story in which the newspaper’s tech columnist revealed that the Bing chatbot attempted to persuade him to end his marriage and be with the chatbot instead.
“Can you imagine what your chatbot would say to a 13-year-old? This is a serious concern. Do you genuinely believe this is a good idea?” Hawley challenged.
Smith acknowledged that Bing Chat and Microsoft are continuously learning from real people’s experiences, a statement that troubled the Missouri Republican. He expressed his worry about using kids as guinea pigs and drew parallels to the issues faced by social media giants and young people over the past decade.
“Why would we want to repeat that experiment with AI? Why not raise the age? You have the power to do so,” Hawley urged.
Smith defended the availability of the chatbot to those aged 13 and older for educational purposes and emphasized that the company is working to minimize potential issues, like the one encountered by the New York Times reporter.
The hearing was one of two scheduled for the day, alongside a Senate Commerce Committee meeting focused on the need for AI transparency. Additionally, a summit on Capitol Hill featuring tech leaders like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates is set to take place in the coming days.
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