By Stuart Jenkins

Almost every day, the kids and teens we serve across Colorado are introduced to new generative artificial intelligence and other emerging technology, including conversational AI systems designed to simulate human conversation. These tools are no longer a novelty; they’re a fixture of daily life.

At the Colorado Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs, we see it up close: children may use them to do homework, learn about new topics or even turn to a chatbot with questions they might otherwise bring to a staff member or trusted adult.

As the statewide organization supporting 18 Boys & Girls Club organizations and more than 80 locations across Colorado, safety is one of our core values. When kids engage with technology, parents and caregivers should feel confident it is safe. We believe social media and technology companies need to take meaningful steps to reduce risks to children associated with the products they design and deploy. That is why we supported House Bill 26-1263 that puts new safety requirements and guardrails on AI chatbot technologies.

We brought the experience of our clubs to the conversation and worked alongside advocates with public health, child-development and consumer-protection expertise. We’re especially grateful to Attorney General Phil Weiser and his office for engaging stakeholders to make the bill as strong as possible. Attorney General Weiser has consistently pushed social media and technology companies to protect children and warned about the potential risks of social AI chatbots without adequate safeguards. That same commitment to accountability helped improve HB 26-1263.

HB 26-1263 addresses several issues we know affect the children who walk through our clubs’ doors every day. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, operators of conversational AI services will be required to tell kids and other users explicitly they are talking to an AI, not a person. The bill also clarifies the AI they are talking to is not a substitute for a mental health professional.

These chatbots will be prohibited from claiming their chats are equivalent to advice from a licensed doctor, therapist, lawyer or other credentialed professional. For a kid in crisis, these changes will be lifesaving. Companies will be required to implement protocols for conversations involving suicidal ideation or self-harm, and they will have to report to the Attorney General’s office.

For children specifically, AI operators are required to go even further. Companies will no longer be able to offer points, rewards or other engagement incentives designed to keep kids hooked on the platform, like the addictive design we’ve seen in some social media and video game platforms. These companies will also be required to block sexually explicit content for children, something that is long overdue.

These requirements are common sense and will help kids use this new technology more safely.

At our clubs, our staff and mentors work hard every day to build safe, supportive spaces for kids. It helps to know AI companies will now have to do their part, too. Just as importantly, the bill prohibits AI chatbots from encouraging minor users to withhold information from a parent, guardian or trusted adult. For an organization built on connecting kids to caring, trusted adults, protecting those real-world relationships is essential.

What’s crucial is this: HB 26-1263 sets a minimum standard of honesty, safety and duty of care — reflecting basic requirements that should become industry standard. Companies focused on responsible development of their tools should welcome clear guardrails that protect children and ensure bad actors cannot avoid accountability.

HB 26-1263 isn’t the perfect answer, but it’s a key first step that strengthens protections for children using AI. Technology will continue to change, and our safeguards will need to evolve with it. We will continue bringing the experiences of our club kids and staff to these conversations and advocating for keeping children safe, both in the real world and online.

We appreciate the bill’s sponsors, Attorney General Weiser and the many stakeholders who helped move this work forward. We look forward to continuing that collaboration with Colorado’s policymakers so innovation can flourish without sacrificing the safety, well-being and trust of our kids.

Stuart Jenkins is executive director of the Colorado Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.