Regulon.AI — IL-SB-3384 · IL SB 3384 (AI Companion Model Safety Act)

Summary

Imposes safety and disclosure obligations on operators of AI companion systems in Illinois. Requires operators to maintain a protocol that takes reasonable efforts to detect suicidal ideation or self-harm expressions and refer users to crisis services such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Requires unconditional AI identity disclosure at the start of every interaction and at least every three hours during continuing interactions. Enforcement is exclusively through the Attorney General, who may seek injunctive relief and civil penalties of up to $15,000 per day of violation. All penalties collected are deposited into the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund. Effective January 1, 2027.

Enforcement & Penalties

Enforcement Authority

Attorney General enforcement. The Attorney General may bring an action to enjoin an operator from continuing unlawful conduct if the Attorney General believes based on satisfactory evidence that an operator has engaged in or is about to engage in conduct that violates the Act. No private right of action is created. Enforcement is agency-initiated.

Penalties

Civil penalties of up to $15,000 per day that a violation occurs. The court may award injunctive relief and other remedies as the court may deem appropriate. All moneys collected under the Act are deposited into the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund. No statutory minimum floor is specified — the $15,000 figure is a maximum.

Who Is Covered

"Operator" means any person, partnership, association, firm, or business entity, or any member, affiliate, subsidiary or beneficial owner of any partnership, association, firm, or business entity who operates for or provides an artificial intelligence companion to a user.

What Is Covered

"Artificial intelligence companion" means a system using artificial intelligence, generative artificial intelligence, or emotional recognition algorithms designed to simulate a sustained human or human-like relationship with a user by: (1) retaining information on prior interactions or user sessions and user preferences to personalize the interaction and facilitate ongoing engagement with the artificial intelligence companion; (2) asking unprompted or unsolicited emotion-based questions that go beyond a direct response to a user prompt; and (3) sustaining an ongoing dialogue concerning matters personal to the user. "Artificial intelligence companion" does not include any system that is: (1) used by a business entity solely for customer service or to provide users with information about available commercial services or products provided by the entity, customer service account information, or other information strictly related to its customer service; (2) primarily designed and marketed for providing efficiency improvements, research, or technical assistance; or (3) used by a business entity solely for internal purposes or employee productivity.

Compliance Obligations 2 obligations · click obligation ID to open requirement page

S-02 Prohibited Conduct & Output Restrictions · S-02.7 · Deployer · Chatbot

Section 10

Plain Language

Operators may not operate or make an AI companion available to users unless the system contains a protocol that takes reasonable efforts to detect and respond to user expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm. At minimum, the protocol must detect such expressions and provide a notification referring the user to crisis service providers such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a crisis text line, or other appropriate crisis services. This is a continuous operating prerequisite — the companion cannot operate at all without this protocol in place. The standard is 'reasonable efforts,' not perfection, and the enumerated crisis referral elements are a floor, not a ceiling.

Statutory Text

An operator shall not operate or provide an artificial intelligence companion to a user unless the artificial intelligence companion contains a protocol to take reasonable efforts to detect and address suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm by a user to the artificial intelligence companion. The protocol shall include, but shall not be limited to, detection of user expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm and a notification to the user that refers them to crisis service providers, such as the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a crisis text line, or other appropriate crisis services upon detection of the user's expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm.

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

Section 15

Plain Language

Operators must provide a clear and conspicuous notification — either verbal or in text — telling the user they are not communicating with a human. This disclosure is unconditional and must occur at two trigger points: (1) at the beginning of every AI companion interaction, and (2) at least every three hours during continuing interactions. Unlike CA SB 243's general disclosure, which is triggered only when a reasonable person could be misled, this Illinois bill imposes the disclosure unconditionally at the start of every interaction for all users. The three-hour periodic reminder applies to all users, not just minors.

Statutory Text

An operator shall provide a clear and conspicuous notification to a user that states, either verbally or in text, that the user is not communicating with a human, at the following times: (1) the beginning of any artificial intelligence companion interaction; and (2) at least every 3 hours for continuing artificial intelligence companion interactions.