The coalition, led by children's rights group 5Rights Foundation, says AI is already harming children and that current regulatory approaches are failing them by intervening when it is too late.
The warning comes as lawsuits have grown against AI companies, such as Character Technologies and OpenAI, over the technology’s effects on children, particularly from "companion" chatbots designed to simulate ongoing emotional relationships and claims their AI chatbots are marketed as safe for children without adequate warnings.
In a statement released on Monday ahead of the UN's inaugural Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the group argues governments should target the business models it says are driving the problem.
International group calls for AI safety measures for children ahead of UN summit
More than 100 international groups say AI companies, not parents, should be responsible for child safety.
More than 100 organisations, including Amnesty International and Save the Children, are urging governments to make artificial intelligence safe for children in a joint call, a day before the United Nations holds its first global summit on AI governance.