‘Emotional intimacy’ from AI chatbots would be banned under Australia’s digital duty of care laws

Children treating AI agents as their "best friend" prompted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to raise a serious alarm in a recent speech.

This concern has led the federal government to push for a ban on AI chatbots designed to forge "emotional intimacy."

Simultaneously, the Labor government faces mounting pressure regarding the need for a social media watchdog.

This push follows the passage of a new online safety standards bill through the lower house.

The aim is to grant the telecommunications ombudsman enhanced authority.

This power would allow it to act as a supervisor for both social media platforms and AI.

Such a mechanism would provide Australians with an external avenue for lodging complaints.

Furthermore, it would enable the practice of "naming and shaming" major technology corporations.