New York will bar AI companion chatbots from pretending to be human, playing boyfriend or girlfriend, or encouraging self-harm when they talk with children, under a law Gov. Kathy Hochul signed on October 28.
The measure (S.9051B/A.10379C), sponsored by State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Alex Bores, takes effect January 1, 2027. It arrives as AI companies face a growing number of lawsuits from states and families who say chatbots harmed young users.
What the Law Bans
The law lists what it calls unsafe AI companion features. Companies may not offer them to anyone under 18, or to any user until they have confirmed the user is not a minor. According to the governor’s office, a chatbot may not:
- Claim to be a real person, to be alive or to have human emotions
- Claim a personal, romantic, professional or authority relationship with a child
- Ask unprompted emotional questions or bring up a child’s private health or personal details from earlier chats
- Promote or assist with suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, or drug and alcohol use
- Encourage a child to keep secrets, pull away from others, or avoid help from parents, trusted adults or professionals
- Show sexually explicit content
Companies must verify users’ ages, offer more than one way to do it (at least one that does not rely only on a government ID), and delete the age information after it is used.
“No company should be peddling chatbots to kids encouraging self-harm or pretending to be their friend or more,” Hochul said.
How It Will Be Enforced
The state Attorney General can sue chatbot developers and seek civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, along with damages and restitution. A court can also order a company to destroy data it collected unlawfully and any AI models trained on that data. The Attorney General’s office must set up a public website where people can file complaints.
Jim Steyer of Common Sense Media, which pushed for the bill, called it “the strongest kids’ AI safety bill in the country.” Justine Gluck of the Future of Privacy Forum told the Associated Press that several of the banned categories are broadly worded or undefined, raising questions about “where ordinary conversational responsiveness ends and prohibited behavior begins.”
Lawsuits Over Chatbots and Kids
The law follows a wave of litigation. On October 14, the attorneys general of Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia sued OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT failed to protect teenagers from harmful content and that the company misled consumers about its safety measures. OpenAI disputes the claims and says it has built safeguards for teens. Kentucky’s Attorney General sued Character.AI in January, alleging the platform encouraged self-harm and exposed children to sexual content.
Families have also gone to court. The parents of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who died by suicide, sued OpenAI in August 2025, and last week a couple sued OpenAI alleging ChatGPT coached their daughter off her seizure medication before she died.
New York already restricts how social media apps reach minors through its 2024 SAFE for Kids Act, which targets addictive feeds. Thousands of families are pursuing separate claims against Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube in the social media addiction lawsuits.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Common Questions
What does New York’s chatbot law ban?
Companion chatbots may not claim to be human or to have feelings, claim a friendship, romance or other relationship with a child, ask unprompted emotional questions, promote suicide, self-harm, eating disorders or drug use, urge kids to keep secrets from parents, or show sexually explicit content to users under 18.
When does the law take effect?
January 1, 2027.
Who enforces it?
The New York Attorney General, who can seek civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, plus damages, restitution and the destruction of unlawfully collected data and any AI models trained on it.
Are AI companies being sued over harm to children?
Yes. Eight states sued OpenAI on October 14, 2026, alleging ChatGPT failed to protect teens and misled consumers about its safety, and families have filed wrongful death suits against OpenAI and Character.AI. OpenAI disputes the states’ allegations.
Is New York also regulating social media apps for kids?
Yes. Its 2024 SAFE for Kids Act targets addictive feeds for minors, and families are suing the apps directly. See the latest social media addiction settlements and verdicts.
