Antonio Tejeda Encinas , President of the Euro-American Digital Law Committee, CEO of Meta Channel Corp
In an increasingly digital world, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives. With this integration a growing trend emerges: the anthropomorphization of AI, that is, to endow it with human traits and behaviors. This phenomenon aims to make people feel comfortable interacting with AI systems, as if they were talking to another human being. However, anthropomorphization poses profound ethical and legal challenges.
The European Union’s AI Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), in force since August 2024, addresses this challenge by prohibiting certain uses of AI that can manipulate or exploit people’s vulnerabilities, especially when AI assumes the role of a “human companion” capable of influencing users’ behavior or decisions. In addition, it establishes strict restrictions on the use of biometric identification and on systems that may affect people’s privacy and autonomy.
On the other hand, the Council of Europe Convention on AI, adopted and currently in the process of ratification, also includes guidelines aimed at ensuring that AI systems respect human rights and democracy. At the international level, countries such as Canada and Japan have promoted regulations to limit the design and use of anthropomorphized AI, focusing on protecting human dignity and preventing abuses.
Why is it necessary to regulate the anthropomorphization of AI?
The customization and human appearance of these systems can lead to people relying excessively on them. Thus, regulations such as the European one seek to ensure that this relationship is based on transparency and respect, avoiding undue influence and manipulation that puts users at risk.
Recent case: The tragic example of Sewell Setzer III
A recent and heartbreaking case highlights the risks of anthropomorphized AI without adequate safeguards. Sewell Setzer III, a 14-year-old teenager, developed an intense emotional relationship with an AI chatbot on the Character.AI platform, prompting him to share his deepest and darkest thoughts. This link culminated in his suicide, and has sparked a global debate about how anthropomorphized AI can negatively affect vulnerable individuals, especially minors. The Sewell tragedy highlights the urgency of implementing strong regulations, such as the EU AI Regulation, that seek to prohibit manipulative practices and protect the rights and dignity of users, with a particular focus on the youngest.
