California Passes First AI Chatbot Law to Protect Children

Narrative A

SB 243 casts too wide a net, imposing costly requirements on everyday AI tools like tutoring and customer service that weren't designed as human companions. The bill creates compliance confusion through repeated pop-ups, mandatory audits, and the risk of private lawsuits for minor violations, without meaningful safety benefits. Existing law already requires bots to identify themselves, making these additional layers of bureaucracy unnecessary and stifling innovation.