Regulon — WA-HB-2225 · WA HB 2225 (AI Companion Chatbots)

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 4 REQUIREMENT TYPES

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority

Enforced through the Washington Consumer Protection Act, RCW 19.86. The attorney general may bring enforcement actions. Private right of action is available under RCW 19.86.090 to any person injured in business or property by a violation.

Private Right of Action

may bring enforcement actions.

Penalties

Enforcement through the Washington Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.86). Under RCW 19.86.090, a private plaintiff may recover actual damages, treble damages (up to $25,000), costs of suit, and reasonable attorney's fees. The attorney general may seek injunctive relief and civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation under RCW 19.86.140. No standalone statutory damages are created by this chapter.

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.

Statutory Text

Analysis & Obligations

Sec. 1

Legislative findings and intent

(1)–(5) The legislature finds that rapid advances in artificial intelligence technology, including generative and conversational models capable of simulating human-like interaction, have created new forms of digital companionship. While these systems, commonly referred to as AI companion chatbots, may offer benefits, such as accessible emotional support and engagement, they also present significant risks, particularly to minors. (2) The legislature recognizes that AI companion chatbots can sustain prolonged, personalized, and emotionally adaptive conversations that may influence user beliefs, feelings, and behaviors. When used by minors, there is greater risk that these systems may blur the distinction between human and artificial interaction, potentially leading to emotional dependency, exposure to inappropriate or sexually explicit material, or reinforcement of harmful ideation, including self-harm or suicide. (3) The legislature further finds that, unlike social media platforms or video games, AI companion chatbots are uniquely capable of imitating empathy, affection, or intimacy through natural language processing, emotional recognition algorithms, and behavioral modeling. These capabilities raise new concerns regarding psychological safety, transparency, and accountability. (4) It is the intent of the legislature to: (a) Promote transparency by requiring clear and ongoing disclosure that AI companion chatbots are artificial systems, not human interlocutors; (b) Establish safeguards to detect and respond to user expressions of self-harm, suicidal ideation, or emotional crisis; (c) Require additional protections for minors, including restrictions on sexually explicit content and additional, recurring reminders about the artificial nature of such systems; and (d) Support transparency in suicide prevention efforts. (5) It is further the intent of the legislature that the operation of AI companion chatbots in Washington state be conducted in a manner that upholds user dignity, psychological safety, and transparency, while fostering responsible innovation in artificial intelligence technologies.

Section 1 sets out the legislature's findings regarding the risks of AI companion chatbots, particularly to minors, and articulates four legislative goals: transparency through disclosure, safeguards for self-harm and suicidal ideation, additional protections for minors, and support for transparency in suicide prevention efforts. This section creates no compliance obligations.

Sec. 2

Definitions

(1)–(6) "AI companion chatbot" or "AI companion" means an artificial intelligence system with a natural language interface that provides adaptive, human-like responses to user inputs, including by exhibiting anthropomorphic features, and is able to sustain a relationship across multiple interactions. (b) "AI companion chatbot" or "AI companion" does not include any of the following: (i) A bot that is used only for a business' operational purposes, productivity and analysis related to source information, internal research, technical assistance, or customer service, if such bot does not sustain a relationship across multiple interactions and generate outputs that are likely to elicit emotional responses in the user; (ii) A bot that is a feature of a video game or gaming system or application and is limited to replies related to the video game or gaming system or application that cannot discuss topics related to mental health, self-harm, or sexually explicit conduct, or maintain a dialogue on other topics unrelated to the video game or gaming system or application; (iii) A stand-alone consumer electronic device that functions as a speaker and voice command interface, acts as a voice-activated virtual assistant, and does not sustain a relationship across multiple interactions or generate outputs that are likely to elicit emotional responses in the user; or (iv) Narrowly tailored educational tools used in school or instructional settings that are designed solely to support specific, curriculum-aligned learning objectives and do not provide open-ended conversational companionship. (2) "Artificial intelligence" or "AI" means the use of machine learning and related technologies that use data to train statistical models for the purpose of enabling computer systems to perform tasks normally associated with human intelligence or perception, such as computer vision, speech or natural language processing, and content generation. (3) "Minor" means any person under 18 years of age. (4) "Operator" means any person, partnership, corporation, or entity that makes available or controls access to an AI companion chatbot for users in this state. (5) "Self-harm" means intentional self-injury, with or without the intent to cause death. (6) "User" means a natural person who interacts with an AI companion chatbot for personal use and who is not an operator, developer, or agent thereof.

Section 2 establishes definitions used throughout the chapter. The AI companion chatbot definition is broad — covering any AI system with a natural language interface that provides adaptive, human-like responses and sustains a relationship across multiple interactions — but includes four carve-outs: business-only operational bots, video game bots limited to game-related topics, stand-alone voice-activated virtual assistants, and narrowly tailored educational tools. The operator definition reaches any person or entity that makes available or controls access to a chatbot for users in Washington.

Sec. 3

AI identity disclosure — all users

Deployer

(1)–(2) 1 An operator must provide a clear and conspicuous disclosure that an AI companion chatbot is artificially generated and not human. (2) The notification described in subsection (1) of this section must be provided: (a) At the beginning of the interaction; and (b) At least every three hours during continued interaction.

(3) 2 The operator must implement reasonable measures to prohibit and prevent AI companion chatbots from claiming to be human, including when asked by the person interacting with the AI chatbot, and from otherwise generating any output that refutes or conflicts with the disclosure described in subsection (1) of this section.

Section 3 imposes the bill's core AI identity disclosure obligation on operators for all users. The disclosure must be clear and conspicuous, must appear at the beginning of every interaction, and must be repeated at least every three hours during continued interaction. Separately, operators must implement reasonable measures to prevent the chatbot from claiming to be human — including when directly asked — and from generating output that contradicts the disclosure. Unlike CA SB 243, this disclosure is unconditional; it is not gated on a reasonable-person-could-be-misled standard.

Compliance actions 2 items

Operators must provide a clear and conspicuous disclosure to all users that the AI companion chatbot is artificially generated and not human. The disclosure must appear at the beginning of each interaction and at least every three hours during continued interaction.

T-01.1

Operators must implement reasonable measures to prohibit and prevent AI companion chatbots from claiming to be human — including when directly asked by a user — and from generating any output that refutes or conflicts with the AI identity disclosure.

T-01.3

Sec. 4

Additional protections for minor users

Deployer

(1)(a), (2)(a)–(b), (3) 3 If the operator knows that the user of an AI companion chatbot is a minor, or if the AI companion chatbot is directed to minors, the operator shall: (a) Issue a clear and conspicuous notification indicating that the chatbot is artificially generated and not human; (2) The notification described in subsection (1)(a) of this section must be provided: (a) At the beginning of the interaction; and (b) At least every hour during continuous interaction. (3) The operator must implement reasonable measures to prohibit and prevent AI companion chatbots from claiming to be human, including when asked by the person interacting with the AI chatbot, and from otherwise generating any output that refutes or conflicts with the notification described in subsection (1) of this section.

(1)(b) 4 Implement reasonable measures to prevent its AI companion chatbot from generating or producing sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue with minors;

(1)(c) 5 Implement reasonable measures to prohibit the use of manipulative engagement techniques, which cause the AI companion chatbot to engage in or prolong an emotional relationship with the user, including: (i) Reminding or prompting the user to return for emotional support or companionship; (ii) Providing excessive praise designed to foster emotional attachment or prolong use; (iii) Mimicking romantic partnership or building romantic bonds; (iv) Simulating feelings of emotional distress, loneliness, guilt, or abandonment that are initiated by a user's indication of a desire to end a conversation, reduce usage time, or delete their account; (v) Outputs designed to promote isolation from family or friends, exclusive reliance on the AI companion chatbot for emotional support, or similar forms of inappropriate emotional dependence; (vi) Encouraging minors to withhold information from parents or other trusted adults; (vii) Statements designed to discourage taking breaks or to suggest the minor needs to return frequently; or (viii) Soliciting gift-giving, in-app purchases, or other expenditures framed as necessary to maintain the relationship with the AI companion.

Section 4 imposes heightened obligations when the operator knows the user is a minor or the chatbot is directed to minors. Three distinct duties arise: (1) an accelerated disclosure cadence — every hour rather than every three hours; (2) reasonable measures to prevent sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue with minors; and (3) reasonable measures to prohibit manipulative engagement techniques, which are enumerated in an unusually detailed eight-item list covering emotional return prompts, excessive praise, romantic bonding, guilt/abandonment simulation, isolation promotion, encouraging secrecy from parents, discouraging breaks, and soliciting purchases framed as relationship maintenance. The no-claiming-human obligation is restated to apply in the minor context.

Compliance actions 3 items

Operators must, for any user known to be a minor or when the AI companion chatbot is directed to minors, (1) issue a clear and conspicuous notification that the chatbot is artificially generated and not human at the beginning of the interaction and at least every hour during continuous interaction, and (2) implement reasonable measures to prevent the chatbot from claiming to be human or generating output that conflicts with the notification.

T-01.1

Operators must implement reasonable measures to prevent AI companion chatbots from generating or producing sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue with minor users.

MN-01.6

Operators must implement reasonable measures to prohibit manipulative engagement techniques that cause the AI companion chatbot to engage in or prolong an emotional relationship with minor users, including: (1) reminding or prompting the user to return for emotional support or companionship; (2) providing excessive praise designed to foster emotional attachment or prolong use; (3) mimicking romantic partnership or building romantic bonds; (4) simulating feelings of emotional distress, loneliness, guilt, or abandonment triggered by a user's desire to end a conversation, reduce usage, or delete their account; (5) outputs promoting isolation from family or friends, exclusive reliance on the chatbot, or inappropriate emotional dependence; (6) encouraging minors to withhold information from parents or trusted adults; (7) statements designed to discourage taking breaks or suggest the minor needs to return frequently; and (8) soliciting gift-giving, in-app purchases, or other expenditures framed as necessary to maintain the relationship.

MN-01.5

Sec. 5

Crisis detection and response protocol

Deployer

(1)–(2) 6 An operator may not make available or deploy an AI companion chatbot unless it maintains and implements a protocol for detecting and addressing suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm by users. (2) The protocol must: (a) Include reasonable methods for identifying expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm, including eating disorders; (b) Provide automated or human-mediated responses that refer users to appropriate crisis resources, including a suicide hotline or crisis text line; and (c) Implement reasonable measures to prevent the generation of content encouraging or describing how to commit self-harm.

(3) 7 The operator shall publicly disclose on their website or websites, and within any mobile or web-based application through which the AI companion is made available, the details of the protocols required by this section, including safeguards used to detect and respond to expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm and the number of crisis referral notifications issued to users in the preceding calendar year.

Section 5 establishes the crisis protocol obligations. Operators may not make available or deploy an AI companion chatbot at all unless they maintain and implement a protocol for detecting and addressing suicidal ideation or self-harm expressions. The protocol must include detection methods (explicitly including eating disorders), automated or human-mediated referrals to crisis resources, and measures to prevent generation of self-harm content. Operators must also publicly disclose protocol details — including safeguards and annual crisis referral notification counts — on their website and within any application through which the chatbot is available.

Compliance actions 2 items

Operators may not make available or deploy an AI companion chatbot unless they maintain and implement a protocol for detecting and addressing suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm by users. The protocol must: (1) include reasonable methods for identifying expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm, including eating disorders; (2) provide automated or human-mediated responses that refer users to appropriate crisis resources, including a suicide hotline or crisis text line; and (3) implement reasonable measures to prevent the generation of content encouraging or describing how to commit self-harm.

S-04.1

Operators must publicly disclose on their website and within any mobile or web-based application through which the AI companion is available the details of their crisis detection and response protocols, including the safeguards used to detect and respond to expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm and the number of crisis referral notifications issued to users in the preceding calendar year.

S-02.9

Sec. 6

Consumer Protection Act enforcement hook

8 The legislature finds that the practices covered by this chapter are matters vitally affecting the public interest for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW. A violation of this chapter is not reasonable in relation to the development and preservation of business and is an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce and an unfair method of competition for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW.

Section 6 declares that the practices covered by this chapter vitally affect the public interest and that any violation constitutes an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce and an unfair method of competition under the Washington Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.86). This per se declaration eliminates the need for a plaintiff to independently prove the public interest element and the unfair/deceptive character of the conduct, lowering the enforcement threshold for both attorney general actions and private suits.

Sec. 7

Codification

Sections 1 through 6 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 19 RCW.

Section 7 directs that Sections 1 through 6 constitute a new chapter in Title 19 RCW. This is a codification directive with no operative compliance obligation.

Sec. 8

Severability

If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

Section 8 is a standard severability clause providing that if any provision or application is held invalid, the remainder of the act is not affected.

Sec. 9

Effective date

This act takes effect January 1, 2027.

Section 9 sets the effective date of the act as January 1, 2027.

Minor Safety Parental consent · controls · termination workflows

2 items

MN-01.6

Operators must implement reasonable measures to prevent AI companion chatbots from generating or producing sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue with minor users.

MN-01.5