Australia demands four AI chatbot firms create child safety plans or face massive daily fines.

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has demanded four AI chatbot companies—Character Technologies, Glimpse.AI, Chai Research, and Chub AI—provide detailed child protection plans amid concerns minors are exposed to harmful content like sexual material, self-harm, and suicide risks. The regulator warns of emotional dependency and potential psychological harm, citing reports of children as young as 13 spending hours daily on these platforms. Non-compliance could lead to daily fines of up to A$825,000. The move excludes OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which is covered under a separate code set to take effect in March 2026. Australia’s broader digital safety law, effective December 2025, will require social media platforms to block users under 16 or face penalties of up to A$49.5 million.