Legislation introduced to protect seniors from chatbots
The AMA recently supported legislation from Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Jim Justice (R-WV). The Senior Chatbot Protection Act establishes practical transparency, privacy and consumer protections for AI chatbots used by older Americans and helps to ensure people know when they are interacting with AI. The legislation was featured in a recent Senate Aging Committee hearing entitled "The AI Deception Machine: Deepfakes, Chatbots, and the New Frontier of Senior Fraud." The AMA was thanked during the hearing for our engagement and support of legislation to protect seniors from AI fraud.
An AMA quote of support for the legislation was included in the press release and communications on the legislation. “AI chatbots can help older adults access information and support, but they must be transparent, trustworthy, and designed to protect patients. The Senior Chatbot Protection Act establishes commonsense safeguards, including clear disclosure when users are interacting with AI, prohibiting false claims of professional credentials, protecting privacy, and directing people in crisis to appropriate emergency resources. The AMA applauds Sens. Kelly and Justice for their bipartisan leadership on legislation that would ensure AI serves as a tool to support physicians and patients — not a substitute for clinical expertise and human judgment," said AMA President Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH. The AMA looks forward to working with the bill sponsors and Congress to see commonsense protections for AI and chatbots across the finish line and signed into law.
