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Laws & Policy

New York AI companion chatbot law

New York's rules for AI companions that simulate a relationship, including a crisis protocol and a notice that the user is not talking with a person.

As of September 26, 2026, New York describes General Business Law Article 47 as in effect since November 5, 2025. Confirm the chapter citation with counsel. This page does not treat later amendments as reviewed.

  • Policymakers and staff
  • Businesses
  • Parents

This is general information, not legal advice.

What parents should know

New York was early. The state says its AI companion rules, General Business Law Article 47, took effect November 5, 2025. Operators have to address suicidal ideation and self-harm and tell users they are not talking with a human. The governor's office, not a glossary, is the status source.

On this page

What is the New York AI companion chatbot law?

Article 47 of the General Business Law is titled Artificial Intelligence Companion Models. The state's open-legislation page lists sections on definitions, prohibitions and requirements, notifications, enforcement, and severability. The governor's budget announcement describes the rules as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget: companions must detect talk of suicidal ideation or self-harm and refer the user to a crisis service, and they must tell the user, at the start and at least every three hours, that the user is not interacting with a human.

The governor's November 5, 2025 letter to companies says those duties are in effect and names Article 47. Trackers often cite Chapter 58 of the Laws of 2025, Part U, as the budget vehicle. This page cites the statute page and the governor's materials. If you need the chapter number for a filing, confirm it on the session laws rather than from a secondary summary.

Why the New York AI companion chatbot law matters

New York's date is already past, unlike Georgia's July 1, 2027 start. A company that copies one state's timeline onto the other will be early in one place and late in the other. The definition is about companions that sustain a relationship, not every piece of software that answers a question.

These state laws are not copies of each other. A duty in Georgia may be missing in Tennessee, and a date in one state is not a date in the next. Whether Congress will override some of them is a live debate, described on the federal AI preemption page. Until a federal statute actually does that, read the state text that applies to you.

How it shows up in practice

  • A companion app used in New York shows a not-a-human notice on a long session.
  • A user talks about suicide and the product is supposed to point at a crisis service.
  • A general homework tool asks whether it even meets the companion definition before it builds a three-hour timer.

How HeyOtto helps

New York's companion rules call for a notice that the user is not talking with a human, and for a crisis referral. HeyOtto does not claim Article 47 compliance. Otto is not presented as a human. If a child shows distress, the chat shows crisis resources and the parent gets an alert. A parent can read the chats.

  • Parents can read chats in the parent dashboard.
  • Distress produces an alert and crisis resources, not an automatic call to emergency services.
  • HeyOtto does not claim this statute is already satisfied.

For families

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FAQs

When did New York's companion rules take effect?

The governor's office says November 5, 2025. As of September 26, 2026, this page treats that date as the state's position. Re-check the statute if you are giving advice.

What does the law require?

The governor's description requires a protocol for suicidal ideation or self-harm, with a referral to crisis services, and a clear notice that the user is not talking with a human, including a reminder at least every three hours of continued use.

Is the chapter number settled on this page?

The live statute is Article 47. Secondary summaries name Chapter 58 of the Laws of 2025. Confirm the chapter in the session laws before you cite it in a brief. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

Last reviewed September 26, 2026. Law entries are reviewed every quarter.

This is general information, not legal advice.