New Jersey Legislators Proposed Chatbot Disclosure Law
The proposed bill would mandate that AI platforms identify themselves as machines to protect users from deception.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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New Jersey lawmakers have introduced legislation, bill A4732, that would require chatbots to notify users of their non-human status. This mandate is currently in the legislative phase, having recently passed through the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee.
Why it matters
The measure reflects growing concern among state officials regarding the impact of companion chatbots on mental health and the broader need for interaction transparency. This action follows the state's previous decision to block $250 million in tax credits for AI data centers.
The proposed bill mandates that chatbots provide machine-identity notifications at the start of every session, with mandatory reminders recurring every three hours of interaction. Failure to adhere to these disclosure protocols results in a $15,000 civil penalty per violation.
The players
Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee
A New Jersey legislative body that reviews policy concerning state welfare, family health, and consumer protection regulations.
The details
The bill, A4732, establishes a regulatory framework for software-based companions by enforcing periodic disclosure of their synthetic nature. By requiring status updates every three hours, the legislation aims to prevent users from forming prolonged, deceptive emotional attachments to AI entities. This mechanism focuses on algorithmic transparency rather than restricting the underlying large language models, which are deep-learning systems trained to predict and generate human-like text.
Timeline
September 18, 2026: Bill A4732 advanced through the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee.
Every three hours: Mandatory frequency for machine-identity notifications if the bill becomes law.
The Tech Race
This proposal sits alongside state efforts to curb the rapid growth of localized AI resource consumption, specifically following the rejection of $250 million in data center tax incentives. It signals a shift toward prioritizing consumer transparency and mental health safeguards over aggressive industrial expansion.
If enacted, this law will change the interface of AI companion apps used in New Jersey, mandating clear disclosures that distinguish human-like text generation from human interaction. Users should expect persistent pop-ups or text identifiers at the start of every session and at regular intervals.
The takeaway
This bill underscores an emerging effort to codify disclosure norms for generative AI before these tools become deeply integrated into social routines. New Jersey residents should watch for the outcome of the upcoming Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing, which will determine if the bill moves closer to becoming state law.
What happens next
The bill will face a scheduled hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee before it can progress to the full assembly and senate for a floor vote.
Further reading
For broader trends in state-level oversight, see the latest updates on Artificial Intelligence.
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Should states require AI chatbots to repeatedly disclose they are machines to protect user well-being?
