New Law in California on Regulation of Companion AI Chatbots
In a significant move for the rapidly expanding industry of companion AI chatbots, a bill attempting to regulate it has turned into law in California as of October 13th. This milestone was followed through after California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 243. The bill, which is being called the “first-in-the-nation AI chatbot safeguards”, was proposed by State Senator Anthony Padilla.
The new legislation puts forth requirements for companion chatbot developers, the primary one being enhanced safeguard implementation. For instance, if a person communicating with a companion chatbot can be potentially deceived into thinking they are interacting with a human, the law instructs the chatbot creator to issue a “clear and conspicuous notification” to assert that what they’re conversing with is solely AI and not a person.
Progressive Mandates to Support User Safety
Starting from next year, this law would obligate certain companion chatbot operators to present annual reports to the Office of Suicide Prevention. These reports would detail the safety measures that have been set up “to detect, remove, and respond to instances of suicidal ideation by users,” and the Office would then be required to publish these reports on its official website.
Governor Newsom has endorsed this bill along with a handful of others aimed at enhancing online safety for children. He stated, “Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect – but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our kids. We can continue to lead in AI and technology, but we must do it responsibly — protecting our children every step of the way. Our children’s safety is not for sale.”
These bills featured new age-gating requirements for hardware, among other things which marks a significant stride in online safety for children. The latest move came after Governor Newsom officially signed Senate Bill 53, referred to as the landmark AI transparency bill that garnered considerable attention and had AI companies divided, into law in California.
California’s proactive steps in streamlining AI technology while safeguarding user safety has sparked a crucial dialogue on the interface between advanced technology and ethical user engagement.
