The US state of California has passed a series of laws to regulate AI-based chatbots, Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Monday.
The new regulations follow a number of teenage suicides linked to fictitious relationships with such chatbots. Despite opposition from the White House, which resists AI (Artificial Intelligence) regulation, the Democratic governor signed the measures into law.
The laws include age verification for users, regular warning messages, and suicide prevention protocols. For minors, chatbots must display a message every three hours reminding users that they are speaking with a machine.
“We’ve seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people harmed by unregulated tech, and we won’t stand by while companies continue without necessary limits and accountability,” Newson said in a statement after signing the bill into law.
Recently, the AI tool Character.AI faced a lawsuit from the parents of a 14-year-old boy from Florida who died by suicide in 2024 after forming a romantic relationship with a chatbot. The chatbot allegedly encouraged the teenager’s suicidal thoughts.
Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide can contact the Suicide Hotline at the toll-free number 1813 or visit www.zelfmoord1813.be.
