Bill > H0784

This bill proposes to regulate providers of chatbots, which are artificial intelligence systems that simulate human conversation, by establishing new requirements for data privacy, security, and transparency. Chatbot providers will be prohibited from processing personal data unless it's necessary for a user's request and they have obtained "affirmative consent," meaning a clear, informed, and unambiguous agreement from the user, not just inaction or acceptance of general terms. They also cannot use user conversation logs for advertising targeting or train their systems with data from users under 18 without parental consent, or from users over 18 without their explicit consent, and cannot sell these logs. Users will have the right to access their conversation logs in a usable format and chatbot providers must maintain a public data security program. Crucially, providers must clearly and conspicuously disclose to users that they are interacting with a chatbot, not a human, at regular intervals and whenever the user questions it. The bill also defines terms like "dark patterns" (deceptive user interface designs) and "publicly available information" to clarify these regulations and establishes that chatbots are considered products for liability purposes, meaning providers can be held responsible for injuries caused by their use, even if they took reasonable care. The Attorney General is tasked with creating rules to implement these provisions, and violations can result in civil actions and penalties, including significant liquidated damages for users.

Business and Industry

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.784