Inside North Dakota's Hearing on Kids and AI: Reporting Duties, Testing, and Age Checks

RTE summary ofNorth Dakota AI and Data Center Committee asked to work toward child AI use regulations, news report, InForum, August 16, 2026

At an August 13 meeting of North Dakota's Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Committee in Minot, several speakers urged lawmakers to put child safety first. State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier cautioned against regulation so strict it keeps students from technology altogether, but said students should be trained before using AI in class. He proposed that companies offering companion chatbots carry the same mandated reporter duties as educators, and that a chatbot should direct a child to a real person when a concerning subject comes up.

Anthony Aguirre of the Future of Life Institute said he has drafted a child protection bill and pointed to pre-deployment testing and liability laws as key elements. Michael Marinaccio of the Center for Responsible Technology recommended banning student-facing chatbots in classrooms, teaching students about the risks of AI and technology ethics, considering a return to in-class handwritten work, offering incentives for screen-free schools, and limiting how directly large companies can form data relationships with children. Sen. Janne Myrdal noted the Legislature's difficulty passing an effective age verification law, and Rep. Todd Porter asked presenters to help draft bill language.

Why it matters

The hearing put concrete options on the table. Some, like pre-deployment testing and liability, would apply to the companies that build AI products. Others, like training requirements and limits on student-facing chatbots, would shape how schools use them. Families and educators have a stake on both sides of that line.

For a second account of this hearing, see our summary of the North Dakota Monitor's report.

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