Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the applicability of the Online Safety Act 2023 to artificial intelligence chatbot providers, including those that host user-generated chatbots; and what assessment they have made of whether further guidance or legislation is required in that area to ensure the protection of children.

Generative AI services that allow users to share content with one another or that search live websites to provide search results are regulated under the Online Safety Act. This includes services which allow users to generate their own chatbots which are then made available to other users. The Act also regulates online services publishing and the display of pornographic content, including where that pornography is AI-generated.

The Government is committed to keeping young people safe online. The Secretary of State has been clear that we will not hesitate to strengthen the law further to ensure the safety of our children and the British public.