NEW YORK – New York has introduced restrictions on artificial intelligence chatbots designed to act as companions, barring them from simulating human emotions or personal relationships when interacting with users under the age of 18.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the legislation, making New York one of the latest US states to introduce stricter safeguards governing children’s interactions with AI-powered platforms.
Under the new law, chatbot operators, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, will be required to verify users’ ages and apply specific restrictions when their services are accessed by minors.
Keeping kids safe online should not mean cutting them off from tools that help them learn and prepare for careers.
As a mother and grandmother, I believe kids deserve to be kids, without dangerous AI chatbots putting their safety and mental health at risk.
Today, I signed new laws to protect them.
Big Tech, you’re on notice: New York will not let you profit at the expense of our children. https://t.co/9cKJpVvxGX
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 28, 2026
The bill @GovKathyHochul signed could restrict access to tutoring, homework help, coding assistants, and critical career platforms, while putting more children’s data at risk. Its vague language also raises serious First Amendment concerns.
The legislation prohibits AI chatbots from generating responses that could make underage users believe the systems are human, conscious or capable of experiencing emotions.
It also prevents chatbots from presenting themselves as having personal or professional relationships with minors, assuming the role of an authority figure or portraying generated responses as personal opinions.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Hochul said the legislation would prevent children from accessing AI platforms that imitate friendships or romantic relationships.
She also stressed that chatbot operators would no longer be allowed to retain sensitive information concerning minors’ emotional and physical health.
The legislation has drawn mixed reactions from technology industry representatives and child safety advocates.
Keeping kids safe online should not mean cutting them off from tools that help them learn and prepare for careers.
The bill @GovKathyHochul signed could restrict access to tutoring, homework help, coding assistants, and critical career platforms, while putting more children’s data at risk. Its vague language also raises serious First Amendment concerns.
New Yorkers deserve clear, workable safeguards. Read our full statement on S.9051B: https://t.co/OJx4TZS24o
— Tech:NYC (@TechNYC) October 28, 2026
Tech, an organisation representing the technology industry in New York, raised concerns about the wording of the legislation, describing its provisions as vague.
The group argued that protecting children online should not come at the expense of access to digital tools that support education and career development.
Meanwhile, Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organisation focused on children’s digital safety, welcomed the legislation and described it as the strongest AI safety measure for children introduced by any US state.
Its chief executive, Jim Steyer, said certain chatbot features could expose children and teenagers to serious risks and argued that the new restrictions would help prevent potential harm.
The move follows similar efforts in other US states, including California, to regulate AI chatbot interactions with children. However, New York’s legislation adopts particularly broad restrictions on how conversational AI systems can present themselves to underage users.
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