THE CRUNCH
Australia's federal government wants to ban AI chatbots that seek to create "emotional intimacy", under new digital duty of care laws. The proposal follows a speech by prime minister Anthony Albanese raising concerns about children treating AI agents as their "best friend". It comes alongside an online safety standards bill that has passed the lower house.
The government is also under pressure to go further, with calls to empower the telecommunications ombudsman to act as a watchdog for social media and AI. That would give Australians an external complaints mechanism and allow the "naming and shaming" of big tech companies.