A bill that bans kids from using AI chatbots is gaining momentum
A bill that bans kids from using AI chatbots is gaining momentum  
Podcast: Marketplace Tech
Published On: Mon May 04 2026
Description: The GUARD Act is a bipartisan bill that would prohibit companies from letting kids under 18 interact with what the legislation calls "AI companions,” which are chatbots designed to encourage the simulation of an interpersonal relationship.This comes after some harrowing stories of teenagers who developed relationships with chatbots and then harmed themselves or others. The bill just passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes talks about this with Ashley Gold, a senior tech policy reporter at Axios.