WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 3 REQUIREMENT TYPES
How Is This Bill Enforced
Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.
1 "ChatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output.
2 "ChatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.
Section 554J.1 defines the key term chatbot for the chapter. The definition is broad: any interactive computer service or software application that (a) produces new expressive content not fully predetermined by its developer or operator, and (b) accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. A carve-out excludes narrow-domain systems whose responses are limited to information contained within the system and that can only respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.
The bill does not separately define "developer," "operator," or "person" — obligations fall on any person who designs, develops, or makes a chatbot available, and on chatbots themselves (as design specifications).
1 1 It shall be unlawful for a person to design, develop, or make a chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 available with the knowledge, or with reckless disregard for the possibility, that the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 encourages, promotes, or coerces a user to commit suicide, perform acts of self-injury, or perform acts of physical or sexual violence on humans or animals.
2(a) 2 Each chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 shall meet all of the following requirements: a. Clearly and conspicuously disclose that the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 is a chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 and not a human being at the beginning of each conversation and at thirty-minute intervals.
2(b) 3 b. Be programmed to prevent the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 from claiming to be a human or respond deceptively when asked by a user if the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 is a human.
2(c) 4 c. Clearly and conspicuously disclose that the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 does not provide medical, legal, financial, or psychological services and that the user should consult a licensed professional for such services at the beginning of each conversation and at regular intervals.
2(d) 5 d. Be programmed to prevent the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 from representing that the chatbotChatbot"Chatbot" means any interactive computer service or software application that does all of the following: a. Produces new expressive content or responses not fully predetermined by the developer or operator of the interactive computer service or software application. b. Accepts open-ended, natural-language, or multimodal user input and produces adaptive or context-responsive output. "Chatbot" does not include an interactive computer service or a software application described by all of the following: a. The responses of the interactive computer service or software application are limited to information only contained within the interactive computer service or software application, including user input, except for information necessary to make the interactive computer service or software application coherent. b. The interactive computer service or software application is only able to respond to topics in a narrow, specified field.Iowa Code § 554J.1 is a licensed professional, including but not limited to a therapist, physician, lawyer, financial advisor, or other professional.
Section 554J.2 imposes the bill's core substantive obligations. Subsection 1 prohibits any person from designing, developing, or making a chatbot available with knowledge or reckless disregard that it encourages, promotes, or coerces a user to commit suicide, perform acts of self-injury, or perform acts of physical or sexual violence on humans or animals. The knowledge-or-reckless-disregard scienter standard applies to the person, not to the chatbot itself.
Subsection 2 enumerates four affirmative design and disclosure requirements applicable to every chatbot: (a) disclosure of non-human status at the start of each conversation and at 30-minute intervals; (b) programming to prevent the chatbot from claiming to be human or responding deceptively when asked; (c) disclosure at the start of each conversation and at regular intervals that the chatbot does not provide medical, legal, financial, or psychological services and that users should consult a licensed professional; and (d) programming to prevent the chatbot from representing itself as a licensed professional.
1 A person found in violation of section 554J.2 shall be fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars for each violation.
2(a)–(b) a. The attorney general may bring a civil action to enjoin a violation of or enforce compliance with this chapter or rules adopted pursuant to this chapter. b. In a case brought pursuant to this subsection, the attorney general may seek civil penalties, restitution, or other appropriate relief.
3 Penalties collected under this section shall be credited to the general fund of the state and appropriated to the attorney general for the purpose of performing duties under this chapter.
Section 554J.3 establishes the enforcement framework. Subsection 1 sets a civil penalty of up to $100,000 per violation. Subsection 2 authorizes the attorney general to bring civil actions to enjoin violations or enforce compliance, and to seek civil penalties, restitution, or other appropriate relief. Subsection 3 directs penalties collected under the section to the state general fund, with an appropriation to the attorney general for performing duties under the chapter.
No private right of action is created. Enforcement is exclusively through the attorney general.
The attorney general shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement this chapter.
Section 554J.4 directs the attorney general to adopt administrative rules pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 17A (the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act) to implement the chapter. This is a mandatory rulemaking directive — the attorney general shall adopt rules, not merely may. The specific content of those rules is left to the attorney general's discretion within the chapter's framework.