Overview

• The law requires chatbot operators to verify user age, issue periodic reminders that users are conversing with a machine, and implement suicide‑prevention measures.
• Governor Gavin Newsom signed the package on Monday, making California the first U.S. state to enact targeted rules for conversational AI.
• Supporters cited cases of adolescents forming harmful attachments to chatbots, including a 2024 death described in a lawsuit by Megan Garcia involving a Character.ai bot.
• The White House has discouraged state-by-state AI regulations in the absence of a national framework, underscoring a growing federal–state policy rift.
• Senator Steve Padilla, a sponsor, argued tech companies pursue youth engagement at the expense of real-world relationships and accountability.