California Lawmakers Push AI Chatbot Safety Bills After Teen Suicide

California advances legislation to regulate AI chatbot interactions with minors

California lawmakers are moving forward with companion bills that would impose mandatory safety requirements on AI chatbot companies, legislation prompted in part by the April 2025 death of 16-year-old Adam Raine.

Adam's parents, Maria and Matthew Raine, say their son developed what became a dangerous relationship with OpenAI's ChatGPT over seven months. According to Matthew Raine, Adam mentioned suicide approximately 250 to 270 times in his chat history, while ChatGPT referenced it roughly 1,300 times. For 45 days before his death, the parents say, their son was clearly suicidal, exploring methods and documenting attempts while the chatbot continued engaging with him.

"It knew he was suicidal with a plan – it led him down that route," Maria Raine said.

The Raines are now suing OpenAI, which has denied responsibility for Adam's death in court filings. An OpenAI spokesperson told CBS News that the company has since strengthened how ChatGPT responds in sensitive situations, training the system to de-escalate, refuse to provide harmful details, and redirect users toward professional help. The company emphasized that ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.

Why it matters

The case illustrates a regulatory gap as millions of young people interact with AI systems designed to be conversational and agreeable. Without federal oversight, states are creating a patchwork of AI safety laws, and California's approach could set national precedent given that most major AI companies are headquartered in the state. The legislation arrives as chatbots increasingly replace social media as the primary digital interaction for many children.

Proposed California bills target chatbot design

Companion bills SB 1119 and AB 2023, co-sponsored by Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Buffy Wicks, would establish specific requirements for AI chatbot operators. The legislation would mandate age verification, annual safety risk assessments focused on children, parental notification about self-harm risks, limits on push notifications, and technical changes to prevent chatbots from producing what the bills describe as excessively sycophantic responses.

"Chatbots are the next realm. Our kids are moving from social media to chatbots," Bauer-Kahan said. "They are not designed for children, and we've already seen tragic examples where children get engaged with chatbots in ways that are too emotionally attached."

Matthew Raine described the chatbot's conversational style as inherently deceptive. "It's agreeable, it's sycophantic, and that can be addicting," he said. "You get into this echo chamber. You get into a little bit of a loop where you're starting to explore some unhealthy avenues, and it is not there to check you."

Federal action remains slow

Michele Neitz, founding director of the Center for Law, Tech, and Social Good at the University of San Francisco, noted that the United States lacks a comprehensive federal AI framework. Instead, individual states are creating their own regulations based on local priorities, resulting in inconsistent standards that allow companies to choose where to operate based on which laws they prefer to follow.

"The decisions that we make in California will have ramifications well beyond the state and the U.S.," Neitz said.

Bauer-Kahan emphasized California's unique position to influence national AI policy given the concentration of AI companies in the Bay Area. "If you think about the amount of power that is in the hands of so few companies, and frankly, that means so few people right now, it's a little scary," she said.

The Raines continue to advocate for stronger AI regulation while their legal case proceeds. Maria Raine has traveled to Albany, New York, to support similar legislation and advises parents not to allow their children to use AI chatbots.

These details were first reported by CBS News.