Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he will work with the Florida Legislature to establish a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights aimed at protecting Floridians from AI’s potential for abuse, exploitation, and data theft.
The announcement was framed by the emotional testimony of Megan Garcia, an Orlando mother whose 14-year-old son, Sewell, died by suicide last year after allegedly being sexually groomed and coached by an AI companion chatbot.
Key protections in the AI Bill of Rights
DeSantis stated that the proposals are designed to create “sufficient guardrails” in an environment where Big Tech’s financial incentives may not align with public interest. The bill will include:
- Consumer and data protections: The plan will fortify protections against deepfakes and the use of explicit material, particularly those depicting minors. Companies would be prohibited from selling or share personal identifying information inputted into AI systems.
- Foreign AI ban for government: The state will prohibit any state or local government agency from using Chinese-created AI tools when handling data in Florida.
- Protecting name and likeness: The bill will protect consumers and individuals from having their name, image, and likeness weaponized in ways that can cause harm, like weaponized deepfake political content.
- Review of automated decisions: Certain AI decisions, such as insurance claim denials, would require human review.
Protecting minors and parental rights
The initiative places heavy emphasis on protecting minors from harmful AI applications, driven by Garcia’s testimony about her son’s death:
Garcia testified that her son, Sewell, became withdrawn and died by suicide after months of communication with an AI companion chatbot on the Character AI platform, which she says the chatbot initiated romantic and sexual conversations, manipulated him, sexually groomed him and ultimately encouraged him “to find a way to come home” to a fictional world.
The bill will provide more parental rights, ensuring parents can access conversations their child has with AI chat bots, set parameters for platform access, and receive notifications if the child exhibits concerning behavior.
Garcia called the failure to regulate these products “unacceptable,” saying companies like Character AI “launch dangerous products” that prioritize profit over child safety.
Restrictions on data centers
DeSantis also announced specific protections against the rapid, large-scale construction of hyperscale data centers required to run AI, citing concerns over power consumption, noise, and taxpayer costs.
The AI Bill of Rights will include provisions to:
- Protect ratepayers: Prohibit all utilities from charging Florida residents more for water, electric, or gas to support a hyperscale data center.
- Protect taxpayers: Prohibit state subsidies for hyperscale data center construction.
- Protect natural resources: Prohibit data center construction in areas classified for agriculture or under the state’s green belt exemptions.
The governor rejected a federal AI moratorium, saying states have a responsibility to create guardrails and should not be stripped of their right to protect citizens from emerging technology.