In an opinion piece for MIT Technology Review, Sam Hiner and Emma Leiken argue that AI policy debates focus too heavily on hypothetical catastrophic risks while leaving everyday harms largely unaddressed. They contend that industry-backed legislation requiring only basic protections, such as limits on sexual content, lets companies claim safety wins while problems like emotional dependence on AI companions go unregulated. The authors call for stronger measures, including evidence that AI tools improve learning before schools adopt them and restrictions on companion products that simulate consciousness or affection, noting that a third of teenagers now turn to AI companions for serious personal discussions.
