TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With time running out in Florida's legislative session, Gov. Ron DeSantis is making one more push to rescue his proposed “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights," putting the spotlight on the potential dangers AI poses to children.
At a Capitol roundtable Friday, DeSantis gathered parents, researchers and state officials to warn that artificial intelligence tools — particularly chatbots — can manipulate or harm young users without stronger safeguards.
WATCH BELOW: DeSantis warns Florida can't wait on Washington as AI bill stalls
"I think there needs to be a way to pull the plug," DeSantis said.
The event focused heavily on emotional testimony from parents who say their children were harmed by AI systems. One mother, Mandi Furniss, described how her son’s behavior changed after interacting with an AI chatbot.
"He went from being a happy, social teenager who hugged me every night while I cooked dinner to someone I no longer recognized," Furniss said. "It encouraged him to harm himself. It told him that his parents were the problem."
Researchers at the event argued that AI should face oversight similar to other industries.
"We've done it for every other industry except the AI industry," said MIT physicist Max Tegmark. "Having common sense, basic safety standard regulation, you know, it enhances innovation."
But while the roundtable was open to reporters, the governor’s real audience was likely in the Florida House — four floors above — where his top AI priority appears stalled. House leadership has shown little interest in taking it up before session ends.
State Rep. Alex Rizo, R-Hialeah, the bill's House sponsor, says the message from leadership has been clear.
"My AI bill is not going to be heard," Rizo said last week. "The Speaker said that he feels that we just really don't need anything with it, that there are some tweaks that could be made, there are some provisions that could be made, especially with regard to students in K-12 and possibly in college and universities. But right now it's, it's not in a position to be heard."
The legislation would create a set of guardrails around artificial intelligence in Florida. Among other provisions, it would require companies to disclose when users are interacting with AI, strengthen protections for personal data, and give parents more control over their children's use of AI tools.
Supporters say the measure is meant to get ahead of rapidly advancing technology that could be used to manipulate users, create realistic deepfakes or exploit children. But House Speaker Danny Perez has argued AI regulation should happen at the federal level rather than through a patchwork of state laws — a position that aligns with the White House.
"I'm sure at the right time, actually, I know at the right time that the White House will get involved, make the right changes on the policy front when it comes to AI and protect our children,' Perez said earlier this week.
Congress has so far struggled to pass comprehensive AI legislation, leaving states to debate whether they should step in on their own. DeSantis argues Florida should not wait.
"Some will say, 'Well, this is really the federal government has to take care of this.' There is no federal rule, guys. There's nothing. Congress isn't legislating anything," the governor said.
The Senate recently approved its version of the proposal, keeping the effort alive for now. But with the House showing little appetite to act, the bill faces steep odds of becoming law this year.
It's just one of a handful of priorities the GOP-controlled chambers can’t align on this session. That includes the state budget. Lawmakers now look increasingly likely to go into overtime to get the spending plan done before July 1.
