Gillibrand urges FTC to examine impacts of AI on elderly

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Sen. Rick Scott are urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on older Americans and individuals with disabilities.
The senators, Gillibrand as the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee and Scott as the committee chairman, sent a joint letter to the FTC to examine the risks seniors face when using AI chatbots.
They requested a briefing on the FTC’s existing inquiry into generative AI companions and called for the inquiry to extend to older adults and those with disabilities.
Gillibrand highlighted the safety and risk concerns stemming from the rapid integration of AI into everyday technologies, particularly noting that older Americans face heightened risks when using AI chatbots.
The senators expressed concerns about the potential for AI to facilitate increased fraud and scams targeting seniors.
They referenced a 2025 investigation by Reuters and Harvard University which exposed how AI-enabled chatbots can be easily manipulated to create convincing phishing emails despite safety measures.