New York Enacts AI Chatbot Safety Law

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Wednesday prohibiting AI chatbots from offering unsafe features to users under 18. The law bans chatbots from impersonating humans, encouraging self-harm, or engaging in sexually explicit conversations with minors. Developers must implement age verification methods that do not rely solely on government-issued identification and delete age data after verification.

The regulation takes effect January 1, 2027, with penalties reaching up to $25,000 per violation.