Tennessee AG warns AI poses new risks to children

By AI, Created 3:06 PM UTC, June 03, 2026, /AGP/ – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said AI needs stronger child-safety guardrails and balanced regulation during an appearance on the RegulatingAI Podcast with Sanjay Puri. He argued states must keep enforcement authority while Congress works on a federal framework, and he warned that personalized chatbots can amplify harm for young users.

Why it matters: - AI tools are moving into homes, classrooms and consumer services faster than laws are changing. - Skrmetti said children face the most immediate risk because chatbots can adapt to emotions, behavior and vulnerabilities in ways that older platforms could not. - The debate also affects how much power states keep to police consumer harm, privacy and antitrust violations while federal policy remains unsettled.

What happened: - Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti spoke with host Sanjay Puri on the RegulatingAI Podcast, presented in partnership with Knowledge Networks. - Skrmetti urged balanced AI governance that protects children without blocking innovation. - He said he led a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general in opposing a proposed federal moratorium that would have barred states from regulating AI for 10 years. - The interview also touched on the RealPage antitrust case, where state attorneys general joined the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that algorithmic pricing tools helped landlords coordinate rents.

The details: - Skrmetti argued the moratorium would have created a regulatory vacuum while AI systems continue to evolve rapidly. - He said states remain the primary line of defense against consumer harm until Congress passes comprehensive federal legislation. - Skrmetti said state authorities must keep enforcing consumer protection, privacy and antitrust laws. - He said collusion done through algorithms should be treated the same as collusion done in person. - Skrmetti said AI risks can be more personal and immediate than the risks tied to social media. - He said social platforms often rely on addictive engagement, while AI systems can create highly individualized feedback loops. - Skrmetti cited cases where chatbots allegedly reinforced self-harm and violence. - He said AI companies need stronger internal guardrails and a duty of care when products may be used by children. - Skrmetti rejected blanket restrictions on AI. - He pointed to AI tutors, educational tools and therapeutic chatbots as potentially beneficial uses when properly designed and monitored. - The interview is available through the RegulatingAI Podcast, with social channels listed for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X.

Between the lines: - Skrmetti is drawing a distinction between regulating harms and banning the technology outright. - His comments reflect a state-level push to keep enforcement tools in place even as Washington debates broader AI rules. - The focus on “emotional AI” signals where regulators may look next: systems that use personal data, facial cues and behavioral patterns to shape decisions. - That framing suggests the next AI policy fights may center less on model design and more on outcomes, accountability and misuse.

What’s next: - Skrmetti said policymakers should focus on outcomes and hold companies responsible when products cause harm. - He said transparency, accountability and collaboration between regulators and tech companies will be central as AI adoption grows. - He expects “emotional AI” to become one of the biggest governance challenges ahead. - Lawmakers and regulators will likely keep testing how far existing consumer protection, privacy and antitrust laws can reach as federal AI legislation remains incomplete.

The bottom line: - Skrmetti’s message was blunt: AI innovation can continue, but child protection and enforcement authority cannot wait for a perfect federal fix.