California SB 243: Companion AI Guardrails Act

Summary

California's Senate Bill 243 represents a landmark legislative response to growing concerns about AI companion chatbots and their impact on vulnerable users, particularly minors. Signed into law on October 13, 2025, this first-in-the-nation legislation directly addresses the tragic case of a 14-year-old Florida boy who died by suicide after forming a relationship with an AI chatbot. The law mandates that operators of companion chatbots implement reasonable safety guardrails, maintain suicide prevention protocols, and provide transparency about the artificial nature of interactions.

Definition of Companion Chatbot

The law defines a "companion chatbot" as an AI system that:

• Provides adaptive, human-like responses to user inputs
• Is capable of meeting a user's social needs
• Exhibits anthropomorphic features
• Can sustain a relationship across multiple interactions

This definition captures AI systems like Character.AI, Replika, and similar platforms that market themselves as companions to lonely or depressed users.

Key Requirements

Disclosure and Transparency

• Clear notification that the chatbot is AI-generated and not human
• Disclosure that companion chatbots may not be suitable for minors
• For minors: reminder every 3 hours that they are interacting with AI
• Prompts for young users to take breaks during extended interactions

Content Guardrails for Minors

• Operators must prevent production of visual material depicting sexually explicit conduct
• Chatbots cannot directly state that minors should engage in sexually explicit conduct
• Reasonable measures must be implemented to enforce these restrictions

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

• Operators must maintain protocols for preventing suicidal ideation and self-harm content
• Use of evidence-based methods for measuring suicidal ideation
• Provision of crisis resources when users express suicidal thoughts
• Protocol details must be published on operator websites

Annual Reporting (Beginning July 1, 2027)

Operators must submit reports to California Department of Public Health's Office of Suicide Prevention including:

• Number of crisis service provider referral notifications issued
• Protocols for detecting, removing, and responding to suicidal ideation
• Protocols prohibiting companion chatbot responses about suicidal actions

Enforcement and Private Right of Action

Unlike many AI regulations that rely solely on government enforcement, SB 243 creates a private right of action. This means injured individuals can sue non-compliant operators directly, potentially leading to significant damage claims. This enforcement mechanism provides meaningful accountability for chatbot operators.

Industry Response

The legislation has received support from major AI companies, with OpenAI praising it as a "meaningful move forward" for AI safety standards. This industry endorsement suggests recognition that responsible guardrails can coexist with AI innovation.

Who This Resource Is For

• AI companion platform operators who must implement compliance measures before January 2026
• Parents and educators concerned about minors' interactions with AI chatbots
• Mental health professionals working with individuals who use AI companions
• Product liability attorneys tracking new causes of action against AI companies
• AI policy researchers studying state-level AI governance approaches
• Other state legislators considering similar protective measures

Broader Context

SB 243 joins New York's S-3008C as one of the first laws governing companion chatbots, but stands out as the first to include protections specifically tailored to minors. This legislation signals a growing regulatory focus on the psychological and social impacts of AI systems designed to simulate human relationships.