United States of America: Bill amending the California Business and Professions Code to include obligations for operators of companion chatbot platforms was passed by California State Senate (Bill No. SB 243)

On 3 June 2025, the Bill amending the California Business and Professions Code to include obligations for operators of companion chatbot platforms was passed by the California State Senate. The Bill applies to operators of companion chatbot platforms that offer Artificial Intelligence (AI)- driven, socially interactive bots, excluding those used solely for customer service. It introduces several obligations, including prohibiting manipulative engagement tactics, requiring regular disclosures that the chatbot is artificial, implementing protocols for addressing user expressions of suicidal ideation, and conducting annual third-party compliance audits. Operators must also report anonymised data on suicide-related interactions to the Office of Suicide Prevention and notify users that such chatbots may not be appropriate for some minors.