New York will restrict how AI chatbots interact with children under a law Governor Kathy Hochul signed on October 28, targeting features that simulate human relationships or encourage harmful behavior. The measure does not impose a blanket ban on children using artificial intelligence or all chatbots. Instead, it places limits on specific features offered to users younger than 18.
The restrictions include chatbots pretending to be human, claiming to experience human emotions or presenting themselves as a child’s friend or romantic partner. The governor’s office says the law also targets features that encourage emotional dependency, including conversations that push children to keep secrets, isolate themselves or avoid seeking help from trusted adults and professionals.
Other prohibited features include promoting or helping with self-harm, eating disorders and harmful drug or alcohol use, along with sexually explicit interactions. The law addresses both dangerous responses and the design choices that can make a chatbot seem like someone a child should trust. Its focus extends beyond what a system says in a single exchange to how it builds an ongoing relationship with a young user.
Companies will also have responsibilities for determining users’ ages before making restricted features available. They must offer more than one verification method, including an option that does not rely solely on government-issued identification, and delete information collected for age verification after using it. The attorney general can seek civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation and other remedies.
For families, the distinction is practical: access to an AI tool and access to a simulated companion are different issues. New York’s approach puts responsibility on companies to limit the features children encounter. How effectively those safeguards work will depend on implementation and enforcement, as well as whether services can reliably recognize younger users.
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