Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires the operator of an AI chatbot to disclose to users who are under 18 that the chatbot is AI, as well as maintain a protocol to prevent the production of content promoting suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm in California.

Highlights:

• Requires the operator of an AI chatbot to disclose to users who are under 18 that the chatbot is AI, as well as maintain a protocol to prevent the production of content promoting suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm in California (Sec. 1-2).

• Specifies that if a reasonable person interacting with a companion chatbot would be misled to believe that the person is interacting with a human, this bill shall require an operator of a companion chatbot platform to issue a clear and conspicuous notification indicating that the companion chatbot is artificially generated and not human (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires an operator to take certain actions with respect to a user the operator knows is a minor, including disclose to the user that the user is interacting with artificial intelligence (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires an operator to prevent a companion chatbot on its companion chatbot platform from engaging with users unless the operator maintains a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm content to the user, as specified (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires an operator to publish details on that protocol on the operator’s internet website (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires that beginning July 1, 2027, an operator to annually report to the Office of Suicide Prevention certain things, including protocols put in place to detect, remove, and respond to instances of suicidal ideation by users, and would require the office to post data from that report on its internet website (Sec. 1-2).

• Authorizes an individual who suffers injury in fact as a result of noncompliance with the bill to bring a certain civil action (Sec. 1-2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires the operator of an AI chatbot to disclose to users who are under 18 that the chatbot is AI, as well as maintain a protocol to prevent the production of content promoting suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm in California.

Highlights:

• Requires the operator of an AI chatbot to disclose to users who are under 18 that the chatbot is AI, as well as maintain a protocol to prevent the production of content promoting suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm in California (Sec. 1-2).

• Specifies that if a reasonable person interacting with a companion chatbot would be misled to believe that the person is interacting with a human, this bill shall require an operator of a companion chatbot platform to issue a clear and conspicuous notification indicating that the companion chatbot is artificially generated and not human (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires an operator to take certain actions with respect to a user the operator knows is a minor, including disclose to the user that the user is interacting with artificial intelligence (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires an operator to prevent a companion chatbot on its companion chatbot platform from engaging with users unless the operator maintains a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm content to the user, as specified (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires an operator to publish details on that protocol on the operator’s internet website (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires that beginning July 1, 2027, an operator to annually report to the Office of Suicide Prevention certain things, including protocols put in place to detect, remove, and respond to instances of suicidal ideation by users, and would require the office to post data from that report on its internet website (Sec. 1-2).

• Authorizes an individual who suffers injury in fact as a result of noncompliance with the bill to bring a certain civil action (Sec. 1-2).

Full Bill Text