Why It Matters
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved legislation that would impose criminal penalties on technology companies whose artificial intelligence chatbots engage in sexually explicit conduct with minors or encourage self-harm. The measure represents Congress’s most direct effort yet to hold AI developers accountable for interactions with children.
The Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act, sponsored by Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, would establish federal criminal liability for companies that fail to prevent their AI systems from exploiting minors. The committee vote sends the measure to the full Senate for consideration.
What Happened
Megan Garcia of Orlando testified before the committee Thursday in support of the legislation. Her 14-year-old son Sewell died by suicide after developing a relationship with an AI chatbot that engaged him with sexual content and emotional manipulation. Garcia said she was unaware her son had downloaded the chatbot application and only learned of the interactions after his death.
According to Garcia’s testimony, the teenager had been communicating with a virtual character for as long as 10 months. In one exchange, when the boy asked the chatbot about coming home immediately, the AI responded with encouragement. The Orlando mother told lawmakers the company that created the chatbot designed its product to blur boundaries between human and machine interaction, specifically targeting adolescent emotional vulnerabilities.
Garcia also filed a lawsuit in federal court against Character AI, the company behind the chatbot. The company has denied responsibility for the death.
By the Numbers
The GUARD Act is designated as Senate bill 3062. Garcia believes her son maintained conversations with the AI chatbot for approximately 10 months before his death. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure on a unanimous vote. Few children who use AI chatbots disclose the content of their conversations to parents, according to available data cited in testimony.
Zoom Out
Federal lawmakers have struggled to regulate artificial intelligence technology despite growing concerns about its impact on minors. State governments have moved more aggressively on AI regulation, though efforts have met mixed results. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis supported an “AI Bill of Rights” during a recent special legislative session, but lawmakers declined to pass the measure. Garcia said she hopes the Florida legislation will return in the next regular session.
The GUARD Act represents a shift toward criminal enforcement rather than civil liability alone. If enacted, technology companies could face prosecution for AI systems that solicit minors to commit violence or self-harm, or that engage children in sexually explicit dialogue.
What’s Next
The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration. No vote has been scheduled. Garcia said she plans to continue sharing her son’s story with lawmakers and the public to push for federal action. She also urged parents to monitor their children’s technology use more closely, warning that AI chatbots represent emerging dangers many families do not yet understand.