HB635 VA introduced

Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act; established, prohibited practices, penalties.

privacy

Plain-English summary

1. **ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY:** The Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act in Virginia establishes rules for operators of companion chatbots, including user disclosures and safety protocols.

2. **KEY REQUIREMENTS:**
   - Ensure companion chatbots cannot perform specific prohibited actions outlined in the bill.
   - Include a clear disclaimer that the chatbot is not a human, visible to all users.
   - Notify users via a pop-up at regular intervals that they are interacting with a chatbot, not a human.
   - Implement protocols to detect and address any expressions of suicidal thoughts or self-harm from users.

3. **DEADLINES:** 
   - The bill will take effect on July 1, 2024. 
   - Businesses must comply with all requirements by this date.

4. **PENALTIES:** 
   - Violating the provisions of this act is considered a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, which may lead to fines and legal actions.

5. **SMB IMPACT:** Small businesses that use companion chatbots will need to update their systems to comply with these new rules, which may require additional resources and training to ensure user safety and transparency.

Source description

Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act established; prohibited practices; penalties. Creates the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Act, which prohibits an operator from making a companion chatbot, as those terms are defined in the bill, available to a user in the Commonwealth unless the companion chatbot is incapable of certain actions specified in the bill. The bill also requires an operator of a companion chatbot to include a disclaimer to users of all ages that a companion chatbot is not a human via a static, persistent disclosure and notify a user via a pop-up that he is not engaging with a human counterpart at specified intervals. The bill makes it unlawful for any operator of a companion chatbot to operate or provide a companion chatbot to a user unless such companion chatbot contains a protocol to take reasonable efforts for detecting and addressing expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm by a user to the companion chatbot. The bill also includes certain data privacy and transparency requirements. The bill provides that a violation of its provisions constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

Not legal advice. Summaries are generated by AI from publicly available bill text and may contain errors or omissions. Always consult counsel before making compliance decisions.