California enacted new laws aimed at risks from AI chatbots and children.
AP reported on September 10, 2026 that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed laws intended to protect children from risks tied to social media and AI chatbots. The move matters because it adds to the emerging legal framework around AI companionship and minors.
The practical takeaway for AI developers is that product design may need to account more directly for age-based safety, disclosures, and other child-protection requirements. For educators, parents, and consumer-product teams, the significance is that AI systems are becoming a regulatory target in the same way social media once was. The laws were described as scheduled to take effect early next year. Source