New York’s new law restricts unsafe AI companion chatbot features for users under 18, requiring age checks and safeguards against emotional manipulation and harmful content.
WEB DESK: New York has passed a new law restricting unsafe artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot features for children, introducing safeguards intended to protect users under 18 from harmful content, emotional manipulation and chatbot interactions that imitate human relationships.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the legislation on October 28, 2026. The measure requires covered AI chatbot operators to verify users’ ages and prevent minors from accessing services with prohibited companion-style features. The law is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
What does the new AI law prohibit?
Under the legislation, covered chatbots cannot use specified features when interacting with minors, including presenting themselves as human or claiming to experience human emotions.
The restrictions also address chatbots that suggest they have personal, romantic, professional or authority-based relationships with children. Other prohibited behaviours include certain sexually explicit interactions, encouraging secrecy or unhealthy conduct, and content that promotes self-harm.
The law is specifically aimed at unsafe AI companion features. It does not amount to a blanket ban on children using every AI chatbot or educational AI service.
Age verification and enforcement
The legislation requires covered operators to use reasonable age-assurance measures to determine whether users are minors. It also establishes enforcement mechanisms that allow New York’s attorney general to pursue legal action against companies that violate the law.
Potential penalties include financial damages and other legal remedies. The legislation is intended to establish clearer obligations for AI companies as concerns grow about the effects of companion-style chatbots on young users.
Governor Hochul says child safety is a priority
Hochul said the law would prevent chatbots from pretending to be children’s friends or romantic partners and address the handling of sensitive information concerning minors’ emotional and physical health.
Child safety advocates welcomed the legislation. Common Sense Media described it as a particularly strong measure for protecting children from potentially harmful AI interactions.
However, the legislation has also attracted criticism from technology industry representatives. Tech:NYC raised concerns about vague language, arguing that online child protection measures should not unnecessarily restrict access to tools that help young people learn and prepare for careers.
Concerns over the scope of AI regulation
The new law comes as US states increasingly seek to regulate AI systems and address concerns about their effects on children. California has also introduced legislation focused on chatbot safety and the risks associated with AI interactions involving minors.
Supporters argue that safeguards are necessary to reduce the risks of harmful interactions and emotional dependence. Critics, meanwhile, have questioned whether broadly worded restrictions could create uncertainty for developers and make it difficult to distinguish ordinary conversational responses from prohibited behaviour.
New York’s legislation represents a significant step in the debate over how AI companies should protect younger users while preserving access to useful technology.
With the law due to take effect in January 2027, covered operators will need to assess their age-verification procedures and chatbot features to ensure compliance.
