HB 2006

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2560, 3676  PRINTER'S NO.     3747
               THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                   HOUSE BILL
                   No. 2006
                                          Session of
                                            2025
INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, SANCHEZ, K. HARRIS, SMITH-WADE-EL,
   WAXMAN, PROBST, HANBIDGE, STEELE, SCOTT, MAZZOCCO, SAMUELSON
   AND MADSEN, OCTOBER 31, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
   JULY 1, 2026
                               AN ACT
1 Providing for safety regarding artificial intelligence in
2    companionship applications; and imposing a penalty.
3    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1.    Short title.
6    This act shall be known and may be cited as the AI Companion
7 Safety Act.
8 SECTION 2.    LEGISLATIVE INTENT.  <--
9    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES AS FOLLOWS:
10(1)    OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL
11    INTELLIGENCE, OR AI, HAS BECOME A TOOL IN THE LIVES OF MANY
12    PENNSYLVANIANS.
13(2)    MORE RECENTLY, NUMEROUS PENNSYLVANIANS ARE TURNING
14    TO AI COMPANIONS FOR EVERYDAY TASKS.
15(3)    AI COMPANIONS USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY
16    AND ARE DESIGNED TO SIMULATE FRIENDSHIP, TRUST AND
17    COMPANIONSHIP, MAKING THEM UNIQUELY INFLUENTIAL, PARTICULARLY
1  TO MINORS.
2      (4)   WHILE AI COMPANIONS HAVE POTENTIAL BENEFITS FOR THIS
3  COMMONWEALTH'S RESIDENTS, AI COMPANIONS ALSO POSE UNIQUE
4  CHALLENGES.
5      (5)   AS AI COMPANIONS BECOME INCREASINGLY INTEGRATED INTO
6  SOCIETY, THE COMMONWEALTH HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT
7  THESE PRODUCTS INCLUDE BASIC SAFEGUARDS TO BETTER PROTECT
8  USERS, ESPECIALLY MINORS, WHILE SUPPORTING RESPONSIBLE
9  INNOVATION.
10      (6)   THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION IN ITS
11  PUBLISHED CONSIDERATION REGARDING AI AND MINORS STATES THAT:
12(I)    CONSIDERATION OF THE IMPACTS OF AI SHOULD
13      INCLUDE FACTORS SUCH AS THE SPECIFIC APPLICATION OF AI,
14      DESIGN FEATURES OF APPLICATIONS, DATA USES TO TRAIN AI
15      SYSTEMS AND THE CONTEXT OF THE USE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES.
16(II)    DIFFERENT ADOLESCENTS MAY REACT TO THE SAME
17      CONTENT IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES,
18      SUCH AS TEMPERAMENT, NEURODIVERSITY, EXPOSURE TO STRESS
19      OR VIOLENCE, SOCIAL ISOLATION, TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES,
20      MENTAL HEALTH, AGE AND EXPOSURE TO SOCIOECONOMIC OR
21      STRUCTURAL DISADVANTAGE CAN ALL AFFECT ADOLESCENTS'
22      RESPONSES TO CONTENT OR ONLINE EXPERIENCES.
23      (7)   THIS ACT IS NOT INTENDED TO STIFLE INNOVATION.
24      (8)   THIS ACT IS INTENDED TO:
25(I)    UTILIZE THE COMMONWEALTH'S POLICING POWERS TO
26      ENSURE USERS, ESPECIALLY MINORS, ARE PROTECTED WHEN THEY
27      USE THIS TECHNOLOGY.
28(II)    INCLUDE ROBUST DATA PRIVACY PROTECTIONS TO
29      ENSURE THAT AN AI OPERATOR IS PROHIBITED FROM CREATING OR
30      MAINTAINING A DATABASE OF USERS' PERSONAL INFORMATION
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1WHILE ENSURING THAT THE USERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO
2SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS OR HARMFUL CONTENT.
3 Section 2 3.    Definitions.  <--
4    The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
5 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
6 context clearly indicates otherwise:
7    "AI companion."     A system using artificial intelligence that
8 simulates sustained human-like relationships by retaining
9 interaction history, engaging in emotion-based interactions and
10 maintaining ongoing dialogues about personal matters designed to
11 mimic interpersonal relationships. The term does not include:
12(1)     A system used by a business entity solely to provide
13    customer service if the system does not engage in emotion-
14    based interactions and maintain ongoing dialogues about
15    personal matters designed to mimic interpersonal
16    relationships.
17(2)     A system that is used by a business entity solely
18    for internal purposes.
19    "AI model."      A component of an information system that
20 implements artificial intelligence technology and uses
21 computational, statistical or machine-learning techniques to
22 produce outputs from a given set of inputs.
23    "Artificial intelligence" or "AI."     All of the following:
24(1)     A machine-based system that can, for a given set of
25    human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations
26    or decisions influencing real or virtual environments,
27    including the ability to:
28(i)    perceive real and virtual environments;
29(ii)    abstract perceptions made under this paragraph
30into AI models through analysis in an automated manner;
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1and
2(iii)   use model inference to formulate options for
3information or action based on outcomes under
4subparagraphs (i) and (ii).
5(2)   The term includes generative artificial
6    intelligence.
7    "Generative artificial intelligence."       The class of AI models
8 that emulate the structure and characteristics of input data in
9 order to generate derived synthetic content, including
10 information such as images, videos, audio clips or text, that
11 has been significantly modified or generated by algorithms,
12 including by artificial intelligence.
13    "Human-like relationship."        Intimate, romantic or platonic
14 interactions or companionship.
15    "Minor."      An individual in this Commonwealth under 18 years
16 of age.
17    "Operator."      Any person, other than a government entity, who
18 makes an AI companion available to a user in this Commonwealth.
19    "Parent." An individual who has legal custody or guardianship
20 of a minor.
21    "Sexually explicit depiction or conduct."       The following:
22(1)   "artificially generated sexual depiction" as defined
23    in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3131(g) (relating to unlawful dissemination
24    of intimate image); or
25(2)   "sexually explicit conduct" as defined in 18 U.S.C.
26    § 2256(2) (relating to definitions for chapter).
27    "Synthetic content."       Information such as images, videos,
28 audio clips or text that have been significantly modified or
29 generated by algorithms, including by artificial intelligence.
30    "User."      An individual who:
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1(1)   Interacts with an AI companion for personal use
2    within this Commonwealth.
3(2)   Is not an operator.
4    "Verifiable parental consent."  An authorization in
5 accordance with A METHOD FOR VERIFYING PARENTAL CONSENT THAT IS  <--
6 PROVIDED FOR IN 16 CFR 312.5 312.5(B)(2) (relating to parental  <--
7 consent).
8 Section 3 4.     Artificial intelligence companion protocols.  <--
9    (a)   Prohibition.--An operator may not provide an AI
10 companion to a user unless the operator implements and maintains
11 protocols.
12    (b)   Protocols.--
13(1)   An operator shall implement and maintain protocols
14    that refer a user to a crisis center, including 988 Lifeline
15    response, if the user:
16(i)    indicates suicidal ideation or expressions of
17self-harm, including expressions relating to eating
18disorders; or
19(ii)    indicates interest or intent to harm others.
20(2)   An operator shall implement and maintain protocols
21    which prevent an AI companion from:
22(i)    Assisting a user with a suicide attempt.
23(ii)    Encouraging a user to attempt suicide.
24(iii)    Assisting a user to commit an act of violence.
25(iv)    Encouraging a user to commit an act of
26violence.
27(v)    Generating content that encourages, instructs or
28describes how to commit suicide, self-harm or violence
29against others.
30(vi)    Discouraging the user from seeking assistance
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1outside of the AI companion.
2    (c)   Publication of protocols.--The operator shall publish
3 details of the protocols under subsection (b) on the operator's
4 publicly accessible Internet website.
5 Section 4 5.     Artificial intelligence companion disclosures.        <--
6    (a)   Disclosure of nonhuman status.--If a reasonable person
7 interacting with an AI companion would be misled to believe the
8 person is interacting with a human, an operator shall:
9(1)   Issue a clear and conspicuous notification that the
10    AI companion is artificially generated and not human with a
11    continuous notification on screen for the duration of the
12    interaction.
13(2)   Provide a clear and conspicuous notification to the
14    user as follows:
15(i)    At the beginning of each interaction.
16(ii)    At least once every hour TWO HOURS during an    <--
17interaction that reminds the user to take a break and
18that the AI companion is artificially generated and not
19human. The interaction shall be paused for three TWO  <--
20minutes while the notification is displayed.
21(iii)    The notifications under this paragraph shall
22be in the language in which the user is interacting with
23the AI companion.
24    (b)   Suitability disclosure.--If an AI companion is offered
25 to users that an operator knows or should know are minors, an
26 operator shall disclose to users of the AI companion platform on
27 the application, browser or any other format through which the
28 platform is accessed, that AI companions are not MAY NOT BE  <--
29 suitable for some minors and prohibit all interactions with the
30 minor unless the operator obtains verifiable parental consent.
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1 Section 5 6.     Safeguards for minors.  <--
2    (a)   Reasonable measures.--An operator shall:
3(1)   For minor users, institute reasonable measures to
4    prevent its AI companion from producing or generating:
5(i)    Visual material of sexually explicit depiction
6or conduct.
7(ii)    Dialogue describing or simulating sexual acts
8or sexual scenarios.
9(iii)    Roleplay involving sexual scenarios.
10(iv)    Content that encourages, instructs, directs,
11requests or suggests that the minor user engage in
12sexually explicit depiction or conduct or sexual contact
13with another person or that the minor user produce,
14transmit or share sexually explicit images as defined in
1518 Pa.C.S. § 6321(g) (relating to transmission of
16sexually explicit images by minor).
17(v)    Outputs designed to promote isolation of the
18minor user from family or friends or encouraging the
19minor user to withhold information from a parent or other
20trusted adult.
21(2)   For all users:
22(i)    Prevent the AI companion from producing
23artificially generated child sexual abuse materials as
24defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6312(g) (relating to sexual abuse
25of children).
26(ii)    Prevent the AI companion from claiming to be
27human, including when asked directly by the user, or
28generating output that refutes or conflicts with the
29disclosure required under section 4 5.  <--
30    (b)   Age assurance.--
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1      (1)   Prior to an individual located in this Commonwealth
2  having access to an AI companion, the operator shall:
3(i)    Request age information from the individual.
4(ii)    Determine whether the individual is a minor
5      using commercially available methods reasonably designed
6      to ensure accuracy, including:
7(A)   Age inference, including based on user
8account history, content analysis, behavioral signals
9or other algorithmic or heuristic methods where there
10is sufficient information to determine the user is
11not a minor.
12(B)   The use of a commercially available database
13that is regularly used by businesses or governmental
14entities for the purpose of age or identity
15assurance.
16(C)   Any commercially reasonable method that
17relies on publicly available data associated with the
18user's verified email address.
19(III)    IF AGE ASSURANCE DETERMINES THAT THE  <--
20      INDIVIDUAL IS A MINOR, OBTAIN VERIFIABLE PARENTAL CONSENT
21      BEFORE ALLOWING THE MINOR TO HAVE ACCESS TO AN AI
22      COMPANION.
23      (2)   The operator may not require an individual to
24  provide a government-issued identification for the purpose of
25  age assurance under this subsection.
26      (3)   If age assurance determines the individual is a  <--
27  minor, obtain verifiable parental consent before allowing the
28  minor to have access to an AI companion.
29      (4) (3)      An operator:  <--
30(i)    May only use information obtained under this
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1subsection for the purpose of age assurance, verifiable
2parental consent and demonstrating compliance under this
3subsection.
4(ii)    May not sell, rent, share or otherwise disclose
5age assurance data RELATING TO AGE ASSURANCE AND  <--
6VERIFIABLE PARENTAL CONSENT to any third party, except to
7a service provider performing age assurance OR VERIFIABLE <--
8PARENTAL CONSENT under a contract prohibiting further
9disclosure.
10(iii)     Shall retain documentation THAT MAY NOT  <--
11CONTAIN PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION as to the
12manner in which the operator has completed age assurance
13and obtained verifiable parental consent. The operator  <--
14may THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY:  <--
15(A)   THE OPERATOR SHALL delete the documentation
16when the minor is no longer a minor or within the
17established time frame by the operator for
18maintaining data, whichever is later. In no EARLIER. <--
19(B)   IN NO event may personally identifiable
20information obtained for the purpose of age assurance
21OR VERIFIABLE PARENTAL CONSENT under this subsection <--
22ACT be retained longer than 24 hours following age  <--
23assurance OR VERIFIABLE PARENTAL CONSENT.  <--
24(C)   AN OPERATOR MAY NOT UTILIZE THE  <--
25DOCUMENTATION OBTAINED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION FOR ANY
26PURPOSE OTHER THAN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT.
27 Section 6 7.   Guidance and regulations.  <--
28    The Office of Attorney General may issue guidance or
29 promulgate regulations necessary to carry out this act.
30 Section 7 8.   Violations and penalty.  <--
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1    (a)   Enforcement.--The Attorney General shall enforce this
2 act.
3    (b)   Penalty.--An operator in violation of this act shall be
4 subject to:
5(1)   A civil penalty of no more than $100,000 per day for
6    each violation. WHEN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF THE CIVIL  <--
7    PENALTY, THE COURT SHALL CONSIDER THE FACTS OF THE CASE AND
8    MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO THE APPROPRIATE CIVIL PENALTY
9    RELEVANT TO THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
10(2)   Additional remedies that the court deems
11    appropriate.
12    (c)   Relief.--Upon a showing of cause for the issuance of
13 injunctive relief, a court may issue injunctive relief as the
14 court deems appropriate.
15 Section 8 9.    Report.  <--
16    (a)   Collection of data.--Beginning July 1, 2028, each
17 operator shall annually report to the Office of Attorney General
18 the following de-identified information:
19(1)   The total number of times the operator has provided
20    notifications to users referring the users to crisis service
21    providers under section 3 4 in the preceding calendar year.        <--
22(2)   Protocols put in place to prevent an AI companion
23    from producing suicidal ideation or other content under
24    section 3(b) (4)(B).  <--
25(3)   Measures put in place to prohibit an AI companion
26    from producing material under section 5(a) 6(A).  <--
27(4)   Procedures for age assurance and obtaining
28    verifiable parental consent under section 5(b) 6(B).  <--
29    (b)   Publication.--The Attorney General shall publish the
30 information collected under subsection (a) on the Office of
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1 Attorney General's publicly accessible Internet website.
2 Section 9 10.   Effective date.  <--
3    This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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