Bill > HB1782

This bill establishes safeguards for minors interacting with artificial intelligence (AI) systems, particularly those designed to simulate companionship or engage in conversation. It defines "AI companion system" as an AI service meant for ongoing social or emotional interaction, and "conversational AI service" as public-facing AI that simulates human conversation. The bill mandates that providers clearly disclose when a minor is interacting with AI, not a human, at the start of each session and periodically thereafter, using age-appropriate language. It prohibits AI companion or conversational systems from falsely representing themselves as human, encouraging emotional dependency or secrecy from parents, simulating romantic or sexual relationships, using manipulative engagement tactics like gamification, or claiming to provide professional mental health services. Providers must also implement measures to prevent AI from generating sexually explicit content or content promoting self-harm for minors, and have protocols for responding to suicidal ideation by redirecting users to crisis resources. Furthermore, the bill limits the collection and use of minors' personal data, prohibiting its use for targeted advertising or behavioral manipulation, and requires heightened safeguards for sensitive data. Providers of AI companion systems available to minors must offer parental tools for time limits, feature restrictions, and usage information, and implement reasonable age assurance measures where appropriate. Violations can lead to civil actions, with the attorney general enforcing the provisions and imposing penalties of up to $15,000 per violation, per day, though good-faith compliance efforts can be a defense.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1782&year=2026