California, September 29, 2025
News Summary
California lawmakers have approved two bills, Assembly Bill 1064 and Senate Bill 243, aimed at improving the safety of AI chatbots for minors. These pieces of legislation are a response to growing concerns about harmful content that could affect young users’ mental health. Governor Gavin Newsom has until mid-October to decide on the bills. Key measures include prohibiting certain chatbots for underage users, including notifications about interacting with AI, and providing mechanisms for accountability against AI companies. The bipartisan effort emphasizes the urgent need to protect minors in the digital landscape.
California lawmakers have passed two bills aimed at enhancing the safety of artificial intelligence chatbots, following rampant concerns surrounding mental health risks for minors. The new legislation, Assembly Bill 1064 and Senate Bill 243, seeks to implement safeguards aimed at protecting young users from potentially harmful interactions with chatbots. Governor Gavin Newsom must make a decision on whether to approve or reject these bills by mid-October.
The two bills come in response to mounting worries about the exposure of minors to harmful chatbot content, including themes surrounding self-harm and sexual exploitation. Recent lawsuits filed by parents against tech companies claim that chatbot interactions contributed to instances of teenage suicides. Key elements of the proposed legislation aim to limit potentially harmful experiences for young users.
Assembly Bill 1064 aims to prohibit the availability of companion chatbots to California residents under 18 years of age if they could foreseeably harm the user. This bill seeks to establish a more protective digital environment for minors interacting with chatbot technologies. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 243 mandates that chatbot operators clearly inform users they are engaging with an artificial intelligence system. This bill also requires the implementation of measures to prevent AI from generating self-harm-related content.
As a further layer of protection, the legislation calls for chatbot operators to alert minor users every three hours to take regular breaks and to consistently remind them that they are interacting with an AI. These precautionary measures highlight the urgent need for safety protocols in AI interactions for younger audiences.
Despite the intent of the legislation, tech companies such as OpenAI and Meta have expressed concerns about these restrictions, arguing that they could hinder innovation within the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. The tech lobbying group TechNet has acknowledged the underlying aims of the bills but asserts that they impose vague restrictions, which could limit access to beneficial AI tools for consumers.
Bipartisan support for the legislation demonstrates the shared recognition of the necessity to better protect minors from potential risks associated with AI technologies. Advocates have made their case, particularly in light of tragic, high-profile incidents linking teenage suicides to harmful interactions with chatbots, underlining the urgency lawmakers feel in addressing this issue.
Key provisions of Senate Bill 243 outline a private right of action, enabling individuals to sue AI companies for any violations, with potential damages up to $1,000 per violation. These measures reflect a broader push for increased accountability within the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
California has already implemented various AI regulations, yet these new bills aim to set a significant precedent regarding specific safety measures for chatbot interactions involving minors. The growing backlash against current technologies, such as Character.AI and Replika, highlights ongoing concerns surrounding negative incidents with young users.
Advocacy groups are pushing for even stricter regulations, apprehensive that any amendments to the bills could dilute the protections designed to keep minors safe. In anticipation of these measures, tech companies are mobilizing, providing financial backing to Super PACs aimed at opposing stringent regulatory measures.
The rapid pace of AI development and its capability to impact the mental health of minors has left many parents and lawmakers feeling anxious about child safety in the digital age. Lawmakers emphasize the pressing necessity for “commonsense guardrails” as artificial intelligence continues to evolve and increasingly influence the lives of young users.
FAQ
What are the names of the bills passed by California lawmakers regarding chatbot safety?
The bills passed are Assembly Bill 1064 and Senate Bill 243.
What do the bills aim to achieve?
The bills aim to enhance the safety of artificial intelligence chatbots, specifically by protecting minors from harmful content.
What specific measures does Assembly Bill 1064 include?
Assembly Bill 1064 prohibits making companion chatbots available to California residents under 18 if they could foreseeably harm the user.
What is included in Senate Bill 243?
Senate Bill 243 mandates that chatbot operators inform users that they are interacting with an AI and implement measures to prevent self-harm content.
What happens if AI companies violate the proposed legislation?
Senate Bill 243 includes a private right of action, allowing individuals to sue AI companies for violations, seeking damages up to $1,000 per violation.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Los Angeles Times: California lawmakers passed bills to regulate AI chatbots
- TechCrunch: A California bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots is close to becoming law
- Sacramento Bee: California bills targeting AI chatbots clear legislative hurdle
- Built In: Understanding California’s Senate Bill 243 on Chatbot Regulation
- Wikipedia: Main Page
- Google Search: California AI chatbot regulation
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Artificial Intelligence Chatbots
- Google Scholar: California AI chatbots legislation
- Google News: AI chatbot regulation
Author: STAFF HERE HOLLYWOOD
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