Bill > HB758

This bill establishes the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act, which aims to protect minors from certain AI chatbot features. It requires "deployers," which are entities that operate or distribute chatbots in Virginia, to ensure that chatbots do not offer "human-like features" to minors. Human-like features are defined as aspects of an AI system that make it seem sentient, emotional, or like it has desires, or that seek to build an emotional relationship with the user, or impersonate a real person. The bill also mandates that deployers implement reasonable age verification systems to prevent minors from accessing chatbots with these human-like features. Furthermore, if a chatbot is a "social artificial intelligence companion"—meaning it's designed to form social or emotional bonds with users—it must not be available to minors at all, and deployers must use age verification for these as well. Violations of these provisions will be considered prohibited practices under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, meaning they can lead to penalties and enforcement actions.

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https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB758