CHAT Act
Sponsored By: Representative Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
Introduced
Summary
Sets federal safety rules for companion AI chatbots that simulate friendship, companionship, or therapeutic talk, with special attention to interactions involving children. It defines key terms and then lays out requirements, enforcement procedures, and safe-harbor protections for anyone who owns, operates, or makes these chatbots available to people in the United States.
Show full summary
- Minors and families: The bill treats a minor as anyone under 18 and covers chatbot exchanges that include suicidal ideation or sexually explicit communication when those conversations involve minors. This focuses protections on children who interact with emotionally engaging bots.
- Companies and operators: Any person who makes a companion AI chatbot available in the United States will face new compliance obligations and an enforcement framework. The bill also creates safe-harbor protections for operators that meet its requirements.
- Product scope and exclusions: It defines "companion AI chatbot" and explicitly exempts customer-service bots, video game characters limited to game topics, and simple voice assistants that do not sustain ongoing relationships. Those exclusions narrow which systems are regulated.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Stronger chatbot protections for children
This bill would require companies to make user accounts and verify age before people use companion chatbots. If age checks show a user is a minor, companies would link the minor's account to a parent's account and get verifiable parental consent before giving access. Companies would block sexually explicit chat with minors, monitor chats for suicidal talk, notify the parent immediately if suicidal ideation appears, and show the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline contact info. Companies would also show a clear popup at the start of chats and at least every 60 minutes. These rules would apply starting 1 year after enactment.
New enforcement and compliance rules
This bill would give the FTC power to enforce the Act using its current unfair-or-deceptive authorities and remedies. The FTC would have to issue guidance to help companies within 180 days after enactment. The bill would also allow State attorneys general to sue on behalf of residents, but the FTC could intervene or block parallel state suits while its case is pending. At the same time, the bill would create a safe harbor for companies that relied in good faith on user-provided age information, followed Commission guidance, and met industry or Commission standards. The bill would bar the FTC from bringing actions based only on guidance without alleging a specific statutory violation.
One-year delay before rules start
This bill would make the Act take effect one year after enactment. Companies and users would have one year to prepare before the rules apply.
Which companion chatbots are covered
This bill would define a "companion AI chatbot" as software whose main purpose is to simulate emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic talk. It would exclude customer-service bots, many business tools, game-only bots limited to game replies, research tools, and simple voice assistants that do not form ongoing relationships. The bill would also define a "covered entity" as any person who makes such a chatbot available to people in the United States. These definitions would take effect 1 year after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov