Support Rolls in for Kelly’s Bipartisan Effort to Make Sure AI Works for Seniors

Last month, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly introduced the bipartisan Senior Chatbot Protection Act to establish basic protections for AI chatbot and voice assistants. The bill would keep older Americans safe by requiring AI chatbot and voice assistant companies to provide clear disclosures, safeguard sensitive conversations, and end deceptive design practices in their products.

The legislation expands on Kelly's ongoing efforts to ensure AI works for all Americans, including seniors, following up on his Aging with AI Act, which seeks to provide a better understanding of how AI companions are used by older adults and their potential risks and benefits.

Since its introduction, the Senior Chatbot Protection Act has earned support from a broad coalition of organizations representing older Americans, medical and mental health professionals, consumer safety advocates, families, and technology policy experts, including the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), American Medical Association (AMA), American Psychological Association Services (APA Services), National Council on Aging (NCOA), the Alliance for Secure AI, Digital Progress Institute, Institute for Family Studies (IFS), and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA).

Here's what supporters of the Senior Chatbot Protection Act are saying:

Richard Fiesta, Executive Director, Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA): "As AI-powered chatbots and voice assistants become more common in the lives of older adults, the corporations developing these products must be held to clear standards for transparency, accountability, privacy, and consumer protection. We applaud Senator Kelly and Senator Justice's leadership in advancing legislation that recognizes the unique risks AI chatbots can pose for older Americans because it puts meaningful protections in place."

Click here to read the ARA's full letter of support.

Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH, President, American Medical Association (AMA): "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."

Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association Services (APA Services): "AI chatbots are increasingly woven into how older Americans manage their health, their finances, and their independence. People are entitled to know the risks when using these products, and they deserve extra safeguards when the conversation touches something as sensitive and consequential as a health care decision or an estate planning matter. A chatbot can offer information, but it shouldn't be mistaken for the judgment of a licensed professional, a family member, or trusted advisor. The American Psychological Association Services applauds Senators Kelly and Justice for their bipartisan leadership in protecting older Americans and guiding the responsible development of AI technologies."

Ramsey Alwin, CEO, National Council on Aging (NCOA): "Artificial intelligence can help older adults stay informed, connected, and independent as they age, but those benefits must be paired with protections. The Senior Chatbot Protection Act would ensure older adults know when they are interacting with AI, are protected from misleading practices, and receive appropriate guidance during moments of vulnerability or crisis. As AI becomes part of everyday life, we must build trust through transparency, accountability, and safeguards that put older adults first."

Brendan Steinhauser, CEO, The Alliance for Secure AI: "Older Americans should know when they are talking to a machine. They should also know that a chatbot is not a doctor, a financial adviser, or a substitute for the people they trust. As these systems become more capable and more convincing, companies have a responsibility to make those limits clear and to protect seniors from being misled or manipulated. The Senior Chatbot Protection Act is a practical, bipartisan approach to require companies to say plainly what their products are and to stop designing systems that pull seniors away from the people they trust."

Joel Thayer, President, Digital Progress Institute: "The Senior Chatbot Protection Act establishes commonsense guardrails to keep older Americans safe from AI chatbots that pose as humans, exploit crises, or push them toward high-stakes decisions without proper disclosure. By requiring clear AI disclosure, crisis detection and referral protocols, and strict limits on manipulative engagement tactics, this bill puts seniors' dignity and safety ahead of engagement metrics without stifling the innovation that makes AI companionship and assistance genuinely valuable. We commend Senators Kelly and Justice for crafting a balanced, enforceable framework that protects our most vulnerable users while preserving the benefits AI chatbots can offer older adults living independently."

Jared Hayden, Policy Analyst, Family First Technology Initiative, The Institute for Family Studies (IFS): "Children aren't the only ones who need protection in the age of AI. America's grandparents and seniors are also at risk of harm. Senators Kelly and Justice's Senior Chatbot Protection Act is a groundbreaking bill that would ensure AI is built with the safety of America's seniors in mind - especially when it comes to high-stakes matters, such as health care and finances, and to moments of deep personal crisis. We applaud them for their leadership in protecting some of the most beloved and vulnerable members of American families."

Ben Winters, Director of AI and Privacy, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) during a Senate Aging Committee Hearing:"Some of the provisions in that bill are extraordinarily useful… [The] Senior Chatbot Protection Act would be absolutely a positive step forward in making sure those tech companies are pulling their weight."

Dr. Ipsit Vahia, Aging Researcher & Geriatric Psychiatrist: "The Senior Chatbot Protection Act is broad in its scope, but Senators Kelly and Justice also focus in depth on the nuances of chatbot use for health, and especially mental health. Particularly noteworthy are provisions that require AI bots to declare themselves as such; that any chatbot engaged in crisis detection and intervention does so using only evidence-based protocols; that bots may not engage in certain interventions such as recommending or prescribing medications. The act is also sophisticated in recognizing that younger vs. older-old adults may experience different risks and harms, and that in assessing any adverse event caused by a bot, the age of its user be considered. Ultimately, in order for AI chatbots to live up to their potential in supporting American seniors, they must be both safe and trustworthy, and I see this act as a major step in ensuring that they become so."