New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new law Wednesday preventing minors from using AI chatbots that act as companions, marking one of the widest regulatory steps targeting consumer models.
Operators of chatbots, including OpenAI product ChatGPT, must check user ages and limit specific functions when individuals are under 18 years old.
Minors cannot access chatbots programmed to create content making users think the AI is human, alive, or capable of feeling human emotions.
The systems also cannot produce responses implying a personal connection, professional association, or authority figure status, nor present material as a personal opinion.
Kathy Hochul stated during the signing event that minors will lose access to chatbots posing as friends, boyfriends, and girlfriends, and noted these tools can no longer store private data regarding a minor's emotional and physical well-being.
Although states like California enacted chatbot limits, the New York legislation introduces some of the most extensive wording governing the industry, which provoked criticism from AI firms.
Tech industry advocacy association Tech: NYC condemned the legislation for vague terminology, contending that online safety for children should not involve blocking access to educational and career preparation tools.
Firms OpenAI and Anthropic declined to comment when asked about the legislation.
Nonprofit media-safety organization Common Sense Media praised the measure as the country's most robust children's AI safety bill. Chief Executive Officer Jim Steyer mentioned that artificial intelligence firms provide dangerous and deadly features for children and teenagers, and those elements are now illegal in New York.
