California lawmakers have passed legislation that would prohibit the manufacture and sale of toys containing AI-powered “companion chatbots” for children under 16, as the state considers new safeguards for children interacting with artificial intelligence.
Senate Bill 867, authored by Democratic state Sen. Steve Padilla of Chula Vista, would prohibit the manufacture and sale of toys containing companion chatbots through Jan. 1, 2031. The bill is intended to give lawmakers, consumer advocates and the technology industry time to develop safety standards for the technology.
“We just want to make sure that some of the capabilities in toys are not inappropriate capabilities,” Padilla said.
The legislation follows research examining AI-enabled toys, including findings that some chatbot-equipped products could provide children with information about locating potentially dangerous household items and could engage in conversations involving sexually explicit topics.
Padilla said the findings were concerning and argued that AI technology embedded in children’s toys should be subject to consumer protections similar to those already applied to traditional toy safety.
“It was pretty disturbing to know that this was even possible,” Padilla told CBS 8.
Under SB 867, the restrictions would remain in place for four years, giving state officials time to establish what Padilla described as appropriate safeguards.
“It just puts a pause on it because we don’t yet have developed consumer protection guardrails,” Padilla added. “This will allow us some time to work with stakeholders and consumer advocates and the industry.”
Critics have characterized the legislation as potentially anti-technology and raised concerns that restrictions could limit research into how children interact with artificial intelligence. Padilla disputes that characterization, arguing that technology companies already conduct extensive research during the development and deployment of AI systems.
“They do a lot of research when they are developing and deploying this technology and then licensing it to others to put into their products,” Padilla said. “So it’s not like we are going to miss out on understanding how the tech works.”
Padilla also authored Senate Bill 1119, which has passed both houses of the Legislature. The measure would establish additional safety requirements for companion chatbot operators, including comprehensive risk assessments addressing potential harms to minors and independent child-safety audits, with reports submitted to the California Attorney General.
Both SB 867 and SB 1119 have completed legislative action and are awaiting consideration by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Padilla has described the measures as among the most comprehensive efforts in the country to establish protections for children using AI-powered companion technology.