AI-Powered Chatbots Will Find It Harder to Impersonate Humans.
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This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed several new laws regulating artificial intelligence and social media. Among them is SB 243, which requires chatbots to provide “clear and conspicuous” notice that they are not real people. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2027.
SB 243 also requires chatbots interacting with children to provide break reminders every three hours and prohibits chatbots used by minors from creating sexually explicit content. The law mandates that AI companions provide protection for people experiencing mental illness and requires companies to report how they handle situations involving suicidal ideation and self-harm.
“New technologies like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect, but without real safeguards, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our children,” the Democratic governor said in a statement.
California’s Other New AI and Technology Laws
SB 243 is just one part of a broader package of technology-focused legislation approved by Newsom this week. The AI Transparency Act (AB 853) requires major platforms to disclose their use of AI to create content. It also requires recording devices sold in California, such as cameras and video cameras, to include built-in verification capabilities.
Another bill signed by Newsom, AB 56, requires social media platforms to regularly warn minors about the potential mental health risks associated with app use. AB 621 toughens penalties for companies whose platforms distribute “deep” pornography. Finally, AB 1043 requires device manufacturers (primarily Apple and Google) to implement age verification tools for users in their app stores.
As California goes, so will the rest of the states.
While the laws signed by Governor Newsom apply only to California residents, major tech companies are expected to voluntarily implement these guidelines for the rest of the country; California’s population is so large that state laws regulating technology are typically adopted nationwide.
Of course, this assumes that the legal challenges do not significantly undermine or change the laws: as with most laws aimed at “protecting children,” there is a potential conflict between protecting children and protecting the rights of adults.