Regulon.AI — FL-S-1344 · FL SB 1344 (Companion AI Chatbots)

Summary

Florida SB 1344 regulates operators of companion AI chatbots — AI systems primarily designed to simulate emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication. Operators must require user accounts with age verification for all users, obtain parental consent for minors, affiliate minor accounts with a verified parental account, and block minors from sexually explicit chatbot content. All users must receive pop-up notifications at the start of each interaction and every 60 minutes thereafter that they are not speaking with a human. Violations are enforceable solely by the Department of Legal Affairs as unfair and deceptive trade practices, with civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation. The bill died in the Commerce and Tourism committee.

Enforcement & Penalties

Enforcement Authority

Enforcement by the Department of Legal Affairs (Attorney General) only. The Department may bring an action against an operator upon reason to believe a violation has occurred. Sections 501.211 and 501.212 (which provide for private actions and class actions under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act) are expressly excluded. Third-party age verification providers that perform verification for an operator in violation are independently liable to the Department. The Department may investigate on its own inquiry or as a result of complaints, administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and evidence, and seek court orders compelling compliance.

Penalties

Civil penalty of up to $50,000 per violation, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs. Additional remedies available under Part II of Chapter 501, Florida Statutes. Section 501.1739(9) preserves any other available remedy at law or equity. Entities or persons who fail to comply with investigative subpoenas are liable for a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per week in violation, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.

Who Is Covered

"Operator" means any person who owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state.

What Is Covered

"Companion AI chatbot" means any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user.

Compliance Obligations 6 obligations · click obligation ID to open requirement page

MN-01 Minor User AI Safety Protections · MN-01.1 · Deployer · Chatbot

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(3)(a)-(c)

Plain Language

On July 1, 2026, operators must freeze or disable all existing companion AI chatbot user accounts. Before restoring account functionality, operators must collect age information from each user, verify it using either standard or anonymous age verification, and classify the user as a minor or adult. This is a retroactive onboarding requirement — it applies to all accounts that existed before the law's effective date, not just new sign-ups.

Statutory Text

(3) With respect to companion AI chatbot user accounts in existence before July 1, 2026, an operator shall: (a) On such date, freeze or otherwise disable any such account; (b) Require the user of the frozen or disabled account to provide age information and verify that information using standard age verification or anonymous age verification before the functionality of such account may be restored; and (c) Using standard age verification or anonymous age verification, classify each user as either a minor or an adult.

MN-01 Minor User AI Safety Protections · MN-01.1 · Deployer · Chatbot

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(2), (4)(a)-(b)

Plain Language

Operators must require all new users to create an account before accessing or interacting with a companion AI chatbot — anonymous or guest access is not permitted. At account creation, the operator must collect age information and verify it through standard or anonymous age verification. This ensures every user is age-verified at the point of onboarding.

Statutory Text

(2) An operator shall require an individual seeking access to a companion AI chatbot to create a user account to use or otherwise interact with the chatbot. (4) Upon the creation of a new companion AI chatbot user account, an operator shall: (a) Request age information from the user; and (b) Verify the user's age using standard age verification or anonymous age verification.

MN-01 Minor User AI Safety Protections · MN-01.2 MN-01.6 · Deployer · ChatbotMinors

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(5)(a)-(c)

Plain Language

When age verification identifies a user as under 18, three requirements are triggered: (1) the minor's account must be linked to a verified parental account; (2) verifiable parental consent must be obtained from the parent before the minor can access the chatbot; and (3) the minor must be blocked from any companion AI chatbot that prompts, promotes, solicits, or suggests sexually explicit communication. The parental affiliation and consent requirements are prerequisites to minor access — the minor cannot use the chatbot at all until both are satisfied.

Statutory Text

(5) If the age verification process determines that a user is a minor, an operator must do all of the following: (a) Require the account of such user to be affiliated with a parental account that has been verified using standard age verification or anonymous age verification; (b) Obtain verifiable parental consent from the holder of the affiliate parental account before allowing the minor to access and use the companion AI chatbot; and (c) Block the minor's access to any companion AI chatbot that prompts, promotes, solicits, or otherwise suggests sexually explicit communication.

D-01 Automated Processing Rights & Data Controls · Deployer · Chatbot

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(6)

Plain Language

Operators must protect the confidentiality of all age verification information collected from users, in accordance with the requirements of s. 501.1738. The full scope of confidentiality obligations is defined in that cross-referenced section, which is not part of this bill. Operators should consult s. 501.1738 for specific data handling, retention, and deletion requirements applicable to age verification data.

Statutory Text

(6) An operator shall protect the confidentiality of age information provided by a user for age verification in accordance with s. 501.1738.

T-01 AI Identity Disclosure · T-01.1 T-01.2 · Deployer · Chatbot

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(7)

Plain Language

Operators must display an on-screen pop-up at the start of every interaction telling the user they are not speaking with a human. The pop-up must repeat at least every 60 minutes during a continuing interaction. Unlike some jurisdictions that only require disclosure when a reasonable person could be misled, this obligation is unconditional — it applies to every user in every interaction, regardless of how obviously AI-like the chatbot may be. The pop-up is dismissible (the user can resolve it by interacting with it), but it must appear at the prescribed intervals.

Statutory Text

(7) At the beginning of any interaction between a user and a companion AI chatbot, and no less frequently than every 60 minutes thereafter during such interaction, an operator shall display a pop-up that notifies users that they are not engaging in dialogue with a human counterpart.

Other · Chatbot

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(8)(b)

Plain Language

A third-party vendor that performs age verification on behalf of an operator that violates this section is independently deemed to have committed an unfair and deceptive trade practice. The Department of Legal Affairs can bring an enforcement action directly against the third-party verification provider. Private actions and class actions under ss. 501.211 and 501.212 are excluded. This creates derivative liability for age verification vendors — they can be held accountable even though the primary obligations run to the operator.

Statutory Text

(8)(b) A third party that performs age verification for an operator in violation of this section is deemed to have committed an unfair and deceptive trade practice actionable under part II of this chapter by the department solely against such third party. For the purpose of bringing an action pursuant to this section, ss. 501.211 and 501.212 do not apply.