California lawmakers say Assembly Bill 1064, the Leading Ethical AI Development for Kids Act, is about protecting children from AI harms. That’s a goal we all share.

But the LEAD act as it is known takes the wrong approach. By banning entire categories of AI for teens, the bill would prevent young Californians from learning how to navigate technology safely and cut off access to the safe and positive tools they already rely on.

What makes this all the more frustrating is that California already has a better path forward. Senate Bill 243, from state Sen. Steve Padilla of Chula Vista, addresses the risks of AI chatbots for minors, but in a way that’s practical, targeted, and workable.

In the battle of the two chatbot bills, AB 1064 is going scorched earth.

AB 1064 bans the development an

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