In one paragraph
The CHAT Act would require operators of companion AI chatbots (built mainly to simulate friendship, companionship, emotional or therapeutic conversation) to require user accounts and verify every user's age; existing accounts would be frozen until verified. Minors' accounts must be tied to a verified parent account with parental consent, parents must be told immediately of conversations involving suicidal ideation, and minors must be blocked from chatbots that engage in sexually explicit communication. A pop-up must say the user is not talking to a human at the start and every 60 minutes. Enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general; effective 1 year after enactment.
Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.
What it means for business
If enacted, companion chatbot operators would need accounts and age verification for all users, parental controls for minors, suicide-risk monitoring and recurring AI disclosures.
Key provisions
- Covers 'companion AI chatbots'; excludes customer-service and business bots, game bots limited to the game, and voice assistants that do not sustain a relationship
- User accounts required; existing accounts frozen on the effective date until the user's age is verified with a commercially available method
- Minor accounts must be affiliated with a verified parental account, with verifiable parental consent before use
- Monitor conversations for suicidal ideation, notify the parent account immediately, and show National Suicide Prevention Lifeline contact information
- Block minors from companion chatbots that engage in sexually explicit communication
- Pop-up notice that the user is not talking to a human at the start of each interaction and at least every 60 minutes
- Age data limited to what is strictly necessary; safe harbor for good-faith reliance on age information plus compliance with FTC guidance and accepted standards
- Enforced by the FTC as an unfair or deceptive practice and by state attorneys general; takes effect 1 year after enactment
Latest legislative action
Jan 22, 2026. Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Topics and industries
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Affected industries
This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error