Macron wants AI ban wherever it threatens children

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for artificial intelligence uses that risk harming children’s mental health or brain development to be banned. His remarks signal a push for stronger oversight of child-facing AI, alongside his support for restricting some social networks for under-15s.

Macron spoke ahead of a child-protection AI charter due to be adopted at the Paris Peace Forum. Experts were expected to present recommendations, while participating research labs, including OpenAI and Anthropic, were to commit to independent assessments and sharing model data. Macron said companies had accepted the principle of pre-launch audits and certification for systems intended for children, and called for European rules and wider international action.