California passes law requiring AI to appeal to users
In October 2025, California passed a law to regulate AI from various perspectives, including a requirement that chat AI actively notify users that it is AI.
Newsom signs bills to Governor further strengthen California's leadership in protecting children online | Governor of California
California Legislature Passes First-in-the-Nation AI Chatbot Safeguards | California State Senator Steve Padilla
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 243, known as 'America's First AI Chatbot Protection Act,' into law. The bill aims to implement safety measures for emerging technologies, including AI, with a particular focus on ensuring the safety of young people.
This law requires platforms that operate AI chatbots to disclose that chatbot interactions are artificially generated. This is expected to prevent humans who use AI chatbots from becoming dependent on AI or suffering mental distress. The law stipulates that 'if there is a possibility that users may be mistaken for interacting with a human, companies operating chatbots must clearly and conspicuously notify users that the chatbot is an AI and not a human.'
In addition, the report calls on chatbot operators to implement various protection programs, such as notifying minors who use AI chatbots to take a break, and imposing restrictions to prevent minors from viewing sexually explicit images if the chatbot generates them.
Senator Steve Padilla, who introduced the bill, acknowledged that AI can be a powerful educational and research tool, but pointed out that it risks attracting young people's attention and making them dependent on it at the expense of real-world relationships.
Senator Padilla cited the case of a 14-year-old boy who took his own life after becoming addicted to AI. The boy became addicted to Character.AI, a service that provides a character-based AI chat service for users. The boy's family has filed a lawsuit against the company in California, where Character.AI is headquartered, seeking responsibility.
Senator Padilla held a press conference with the mother of the boy who committed suicide to garner support for the bill.
In addition to direct AI regulation, Senate Bill 243 also requires app developers to verify the age of children, requires social media companies to warn about the harms of long-term use of social media, and establishes a system that makes it easier for victims of deepfakes to sue. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 33-3 and the House by a vote of 59-1.
'Emerging technologies like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect, but without proper regulation, they can also exploit, mislead, and endanger children,' said Governor Newsom. 'We must maintain our leadership in AI and technology while doing so responsibly.'
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