AI companion bots as a public health issue: A new framework for regulation 

Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT 
Online only: https://www.brookings.edu/events/ai-companion-bots-as-a-public-health-issue 

AI companion bots are reshaping how people connect, confide, and cope, with children and adolescents among their most active users. Even as evidence of their potential social and developmental harms grows, these products face limited regulatory oversight.   

On May 26, the Center for Universal Education at Brookings will host a conversation on whether AI companion bots should be governed as a product with public health implications. Gaia Bernstein will discuss findings from a new policy brief, “From bans to recalls: A public health framework for AI companion bots.” The conversation will explore the public health risks of AI companion bots, particularly for children; why existing regulatory frameworks may fall short; how tools such as recalls and pre-market approval could apply to AI systems; and what steps legislators, companies, families, and advocates can take now to protect young users. 

Viewers can submit questions via email to events@brookings.edu.