New York bans AI chatbot features for minors starting January 1, 2027

Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law barring companion-style chatbot features for users under 18, with penalties of up to $25,000 per violation New York just told AI companies that their chatbots can no longer play the role of a teenager’s boyfriend, girlfriend, or best friend. Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law on October 28, 2026, that bars AI operators from offering a list of chatbot features to minors. The rules take effect January 1, 2027. “No longer will minors have access to chatbots that pretend to be their friends and boyfriends and girlfriends,” Hochul said. What the law actually bans The legislation, formally designated S.9051-B/A.10379-C, prohibits operators from providing 12 specific features to users under 18. It also covers anyone whose age has not been explicitly verified as adult. Among the banned behaviors: responses built on flattery or sycophancy. Chatbots also cannot endorse suicide or drug use, and they cannot nudge minors toward isolating themselves from the adults in their lives. The scope is wide. The law applies to generative AI systems that carry on ongoing text or voice conversations and exhibit companion-like behavior. Research on the measure points to ma...