CA SB243: Companion chatbots.

In one paragraph

California's SB 243 regulates companion chatbots, AI systems that give adaptive, human-like responses and can meet a user's social needs. Operators must disclose that the chatbot is AI if a reasonable person would be misled to think it is human, keep and publish a protocol against suicide and self-harm content with crisis referrals, and warn that companion chatbots may not suit some minors. Known minors get AI disclosures, break reminders at least every three hours and sexual-content safeguards (deleted January 1, 2027 by SB 1119). Annual reports to the Office of Suicide Prevention start July 1, 2027. Injured persons may sue. Signed October 13, 2025 (Chapter 677); effective January 1, 2026.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

Companion chatbot operators must disclose AI where users would be misled, keep and publish a suicide and self-harm protocol with crisis referrals, and warn chatbots may not suit some minors (known-minor duties end Jan. 2027); annual reports from July 2027. Private suits: damages or $1,000/violation.

Key provisions

1. 1Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 22601-22606: a companion chatbot is an AI system with a natural language interface that provides adaptive, human-like responses and can meet a user's social needs, including by showing anthropomorphic features and sustaining a relationship across interactions; operators are those who make a companion chatbot platform available to users in California
2. 2Excluded: bots used only for customer service, business operations, productivity, internal research or technical assistance; video game bots limited to game topics that cannot discuss mental health, self-harm or sexually explicit conduct; and stand-alone voice-assistant speakers that do not sustain a relationship or elicit emotional responses
3. 3If a reasonable person would be misled into thinking they are talking to a human, the operator must give a clear and conspicuous notice that the chatbot is artificially generated and not human
4. 4Operators may not let a companion chatbot engage with users unless they maintain a protocol to prevent suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm content, including referrals to crisis services such as a suicide hotline or crisis text line, and publish its details on their website; they must also disclose that companion chatbots may not be suitable for some minors
5. 5For users known to be minors: disclose that they are interacting with AI, remind them by default at least every three hours to take a break and that the chatbot is not human, and take reasonable measures against sexually explicit visual material or suggestions. SB 1119 (Chapter 190, Statutes of 2026) deletes these duties from January 1, 2027; most of its own child-safety rules apply from July 1, 2027
6. 6Beginning July 1, 2027, operators report annually to the Office of Suicide Prevention the number of crisis referral notifications in the prior year and their protocols to detect, remove and respond to suicidal ideation and to prohibit chatbot responses about it, with no user identifiers; operators must use evidence-based methods to measure suicidal ideation
7. 7A person injured in fact by a violation may sue for injunctive relief, the greater of actual damages or $1,000 per violation, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs; the duties add to those under other laws
8. 8Signed October 13, 2025 (Chapter 677, Statutes of 2025); effective January 1, 2026, with annual reporting from July 1, 2027

Latest legislative action

Oct 13, 2025. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 677, Statutes of 2025.

Sponsors (showing 5 of 7)

Roll call votes (showing 3 of 10)

Related and companion bills

• California SB300Companion chatbots.