What new AI rules has UK PM Keir Starmer announced for AI chatbots, social media?

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled sweeping new rules to keep children safe online.

On Monday, February 16, Starmer extended regulations to AI chatbots, paving the way for a potential social media ban for under-16s following the Grok AI scandal involving Elon Musk’s X platform.

With these new rules, the government plans to close a legal loophole that previously exempted AI chatbots from key provisions of the Online Safety ACT.

This means that AI chatbots such as Musk’s Grok and OpenAI’s ChatGPT must now prevent children from accessing harmful content or face fines of up to 10% of global revenue.

Starmer said: “These AI chatbots are forming friendships with children that can take them into all sorts of places they shouldn’t be going.”

Major key actions include:

• The government plans to amend the children’s well-being bill with “Henry VIII powers” to implement any future under 16s social media ban without any hinderance
• AI chatbots will follow illegal content duties similar to traditional social media platforms, curbing infinite scrolling and setting age limits on VPNs used to bypass restrictions
• Ministers will introduce “Jool’s law” needing platforms to preserve deceased children’s data within five days of a death being reported and make it accessible to coroners

Chief executive of the UK’s leading children’s charity, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, warned: “Social media has produced huge benefits but lots of harm. AI is going to be that on steroids if we’re not careful.”