AI companion chatbot laws: what New York and California require (2026)

16 October 2026 · 3 min read · By the I Am Mate team

A plain-English summary of New York's AI companion law and California's SB 243: AI disclosure, crisis protocols and reporting, and what they mean for you as a user.

In 2025, New York and California became the first US states to pass laws aimed specifically at "AI companion" and "companion chatbot" apps: services where an AI keeps up an ongoing, personal conversation with you. If you use a chat app like I Am Mate, these laws shape what you see. Here's a plain-English summary. It's general information, not legal advice.

Why these laws exist

Lawmakers were concerned that people, especially vulnerable people and young users, could be confused about whether they were talking to a human, or could receive harmful replies when discussing suicide or self-harm. Both laws focus on two things: honesty (you know it's an AI) and safety (there's a plan for crisis conversations).

New York: the AI companion law

New York added rules for AI companion operators to its General Business Law (Article 47), in effect since November 2025. In short, operators must:

• Tell users they're talking to an AI, not a human, at the start of an interaction and at least every three hours during ongoing use.
• Have a protocol to detect expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm, and refer users to crisis services such as the 988 Lifeline when it's triggered.

California: SB 243 (companion chatbots)

California's SB 243 was signed in October 2025 and took effect on 1 January 2026. Its main points:

• Clear AI disclosure where a reasonable person could be misled into thinking they're talking to a human.
• A crisis protocol: operators must prevent the chatbot from producing suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm content, refer at-risk users to crisis services, and publish the protocol on their website.
• Extra protections for minors, including regular reminders to take a break and that the chatbot isn't human, and measures against sexual content.
• A disclosure that companion chatbots may not be suitable for some minors.
• Annual reporting, starting in July 2027, to California's Office of Suicide Prevention on how often crisis referrals happened, without personal information.

How I Am Mate follows these rules

We built these requirements into the app from day one, for everyone, not only users in New York and California:

• Every character has an "AI" label, and we remind you at the start of a chat and at least every 3 hours that you're talking to an AI. Characters are told never to claim to be human.
• Messages are checked automatically for signs of suicidal thoughts or self-harm. When triggered, helplines appear and the character responds with care. Nobody reads your messages to do this.
• Our crisis protocol is published on our safety page.
• We keep only a daily count of how often crisis resources were shown, with no message text and nothing that identifies you, for the required reports.
• The app is for adults 18+, with an age check before the first chat, and there's no romance or sexual content for anyone.

What about the UK, Canada and Australia?

There isn't (yet) a companion-chatbot-specific law in these countries, but general rules apply. The UK's Online Safety Act covers user safety on online services, UK GDPR and Canada's PIPEDA cover personal data, and Australia's eSafety Commissioner has published expectations for AI companions. The direction everywhere is the same: transparency, safety and age-appropriate design.

What this means for you

• You should always know you're talking to an AI.
• If a conversation turns to self-harm, a responsible app shows real helplines.
• You can read the app's safety protocol before signing up.

Frequently asked questions

What is California SB 243?

SB 243 is a California law, effective 1 January 2026, that sets safety rules for companion chatbots: AI disclosure, a published crisis protocol with referrals to crisis services, protections for minors and annual reporting of crisis referral counts.

Do AI chatbots have to tell you they're AI?

In New York, AI companions must say so at the start and at least every three hours. In California, companion chatbots must disclose they're AI when a person could be misled. I Am Mate does both for everyone.

Does the New York AI companion law apply outside New York?

It applies to operators offering AI companions to users in New York. Many apps, including I Am Mate, simply apply the same protections to everyone.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is a general summary for users. If you run an AI app, read the laws themselves and talk to a lawyer.