US SB2714: CHAT Act (Children Harmed by AI Technology Act)

In one paragraph

The CHAT Act would require anyone offering a companion AI chatbot in the U.S. to require user accounts, verify every user's age (freezing existing accounts until verified), and link minors' accounts to a verified parent account with parental consent. Parents would be told immediately of any conversation involving suicidal ideation, and minors blocked from chatbots that engage in sexually explicit talk. Chatbots would show a pop-up at the start of each conversation and at least every 60 minutes saying the user is not talking to a human. The FTC and state attorneys general would enforce it. Pending in the Senate Commerce Committee since September 4, 2025.

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

What it means for business

Nothing yet. If enacted, companion-chatbot providers serving U.S. users would need accounts, age verification, parental controls for minors and AI disclosures within a year.

Key provisions

1. 1Covers anyone who owns, operates or offers a companion AI chatbot (built mainly to simulate interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship or therapeutic communication) to people in the U.S.
2. 2User accounts required; existing accounts frozen on the effective date until the user's age is verified with a commercially available method
3. 3Minors' accounts linked to a verified parent account, with verifiable parental consent; parents told immediately of any interaction involving suicidal ideation
4. 4Minors blocked from companion chatbots that engage in sexually explicit communication; age data limited to what is strictly necessary
5. 5Monitor for suicidal ideation and show National Suicide Prevention Lifeline contacts; pop-up at the start of each interaction and at least every 60 minutes saying the user is not talking to a human
6. 6FTC enforcement as an unfair or deceptive practice, plus state attorney general suits; FTC compliance guidance within 180 days; safe harbor for good-faith reliance on age information and following the guidance and industry standards
7. 7Takes effect one year after enactment
8. 8Introduced September 4, 2025 by Sen. Husted and referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; a related House bill, H.R. 7218, was referred to Energy and Commerce on January 22, 2026

Latest legislative action

Sep 4, 2025. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.