AI Companions Heatmap

California SB 243 — signed by Governor Newsom on October 13, 2025 — puts enforceable companion-chatbot rules on the books, with core requirements in effect as of January 1, 2026.

• California SB 243 is in effect as of January 1, 2026. Chatbot operators doing business in California are required to have protocols in place for detecting signs of suicidal ideation and referring users to crisis services — not just a terms-of-service mention, but an implemented process. The law requires that AI-generated responses be identified as such, and that companies take reasonable steps to prevent minors from encountering sexually explicit content. Minor users must also receive periodic reminders to take breaks. This rule applies to operators — the companies running the chatbots — not to individual families. Based on public records, SB 243 creates a private right of action, meaning people affected may have a path to court if a company does not meet the law's requirements, though that detail comes from the law entry and has not yet been confirmed against the enrolled bill text on this review.

• Open the SB 243 bill text directly at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov — the link loads cleanly in a normal browser even though our automated reader was blocked. Look for the definitions section to confirm which chatbot products the law covers and whether there are any carve-outs. If you want to see whether your child's specific app is covered, compare the app's description against the statute's definition of a covered 'chatbot operator.'