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WEEK OF JUNE 5, 2025
VOLUME 118 | ISSUE 23
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Hickenlooper hears from businesses
COOL SKIES GREET FORT LUPTON GRADS P4
Fluctuating tariffs, international politics impacting bottom line BY LINDSAY TOOMER NEWSLINE
entertainment or companionship, which can be risky as these programs are not designed with kids in mind and may expose them to false, harmful or inappropriate content. “What you thought might be benign can turn quite harmful,” Weiser said. “Parents need to be mindful of what their kids are doing.” The alert outlines several dangers, including chatbots generating age-inappropriate content, encouraging disordered behavior, or providing false and biased information. In some cases, children have shared private details with these bots, raising concerns about how that data may be used or stored.
Colorado small businesses from various sectors have made changes to their operations and even lost customers as a result of uncertainty around the Trump administration’s tariffs. Grady Cope, CEO of Reata Engineering and Machine Works, a Centennial, Colorado-based manufacturing company, said his company spent most of last year working to bring a Canadian customer on board. But in February, that customer said it would stop working with Reata because it was their only U.S.-based vendor, and “our people would just be really upset if we were buying from a U.S. vendor.” “So they’re gone after a year’s worth of work,” Cope said at a press conference Tuesday with U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado and other small business leaders. Many of the materials used to make Reata’s products are not made in the U.S., Cope said. The company also ships parts to customers all over the world, with two of its biggest customers in Germany and the United Kingdom. “One of the things that has truly surprised all of us is that the inconsistency of we-don’t-know-wherethe-tariffs-are-from-day-to-day is causing many of our customers to put orders on hold,” Cope said. “Everybody’s waiting for some stabilization and normalcy.” President Donald Trump has issued executive orders to implement tariffs that involve every country in the world, including those with which the U.S. conducts extensive trade, such as Canada, Mexico and China. He has said trade deficits are a national emergency, and part of his goal is to force more companies to manufacture products in the U.S. But he has repeatedly changed course on tariff policy.
SEE CHATBOTS, P13
SEE BUSINESSES, P11
Parents warned about the dangers of chatbots Consumer alert urges conversations at home about AI tools, content BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser issued a consumer alert warning parents about the growing risks posed by social AI chatbots. Chatbots are tools designed to mimic human conversation, which, in some cases, can lead young users into harmful interactions. “These chatbots interact with people as if they were another person,” Weiser said. “They can take on personas like a celebrity, fictional character or even a trusted adult, and the conversation can turn inappropriate or dangerous quickly, especially when it comes to sexual content, self-harm or substance use.” The alert, released May 21, comes amid
a sharp rise in reports of children engaging with AI bots in ways that have resulted in mental health crises and unsafe behaviors. Weiser’s office warns that children and teens may not realize they’re interacting with an AI rather than a real person, making them more vulnerable to manipulation. Realistic, relatable and risky
Social AI chatbots are increasingly common on popular platforms. Some are embedded in social media sites, while others exist as standalone apps. They’re often marketed as friends, mentors or entertainers. According to HealthyChildren.org, children and teens are turning to chatbots not just for quick answers but also for
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