France gets Microsoft and OpenAI to sign a charter on AI and child safety

Some of the biggest names in tech have just put their signature on a text about keeping children safe from AI. The catch: it is a voluntary charter, not a law.

The document, published on Tuesday 10 November 2026, is called the "Paris Call for AI safety". Microsoft and OpenAI are among the signatories, and Anthropic is reported to back it too.

What happened?

The charter was concluded during the Paris Peace Forum, held on 10 and 11 November. It came out the same day a group of nine experts handed their report to President Emmanuel Macron.

That group sits within the CIANum, France's council on AI and digital issues. It heard from 55 people, including health professionals, researchers, companies and child-protection charities.

The charter is non-binding. Among its points, AI systems should not create sexual content made without consent, or content involving child sexual abuse.

Why does it matter?

Generative AI, the kind behind chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude, is now used by more than half of people in France. That puts the country fifth in the world for usage.

That is why the question of younger users has become pressing. The experts were asked to look at the risks of everyday AI tools, especially for young people's mental health.

What came before?

The panel was set up on 20 February, during the AI summit in New Delhi, India. Anne Le Hénanff, France's minister for AI and digital affairs, asked it to examine the risks and vulnerabilities created by mainstream use of these tools.

What's next?

Because the charter relies on companies keeping their word, its impact will depend on how they apply it. The report is now in the president's hands.