New York has banned AI chatbots from pretending to be human with children. Bots also may not build emotional dependency, encourage self-harm or hold sexual conversations with them. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law on Wednesday, with a second law on baby monitor security.

The banned features are off limits to anyone under 18 and to any user whose age is unchecked, the governor’s office said in its announcement. Attorney General Letitia James can seek civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.

“No company should be peddling chatbots to kids encouraging self-harm or pretending to be their friend or more,” Hochul said.

What the chatbot law bans State Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Alex Bores sponsored the law. It lists the features a chatbot may not offer a child. A bot may not claim to be a real person, to be alive, or to have human emotions. It may not claim a romantic, personal or professional relationship with a child, or ask unprompted emotional questions.

Bots also may not promote suicide, self-harm, eating disorders or drug and alcohol use. They may not encourage children to keep secrets from parents, or show sexually explicit content.

Companies must verify users’ ages and offer more than one way to do it. At least one option must not rely only on a government ID. They must delete the age data after use. Penalties can also include the destruction of unlawfully collected data and of any AI models trained on it.

The governor’s office said the rules apply “in the coming months”. The law takes effect on 1 January, the Associated Press reported.

Hochul cited Adam Raine, a 16-year-old Californian who died by suicide after talking to ChatGPT. His parents campaigned for the New York law, Common Sense Media said. Eight US states sued OpenAI this month over harm to children. Baby monitors and the election The second law covers baby monitors that stream audio or video over the internet. New ones sold in New York must have security features that stop strangers watching or listening. Monitors must also carry a warning label. It takes effect in 90 days.

Hochul signed both laws days before she faces Republican Bruce Blakeman in New York’s election, Raga Justin reported for Bloomberg Government. A Siena poll on 28 October showed her 14 points ahead. Industry pushback Tech:NYC, a group that represents technology companies in New York, criticised the chatbot law, the New York Post reported.

“This bill could force companies to restrict minors’ access to tutoring tools, homework help, coding assistants, and, arguably worst of all, career platforms,” the group said.

Justine Gluck of the Future of Privacy Forum told the AP that several categories in the law are broad or undefined. That could make it harder to enforce, she said.

“New York just made history byg into law the strongest kids’ AI safety bill in the country,” said James P. Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, which led the campaign.

The group warned this month that ChatGPT for Teens is unsafe for under-18s. California passed its own chatbot rules in September, alongside its No Robo Bosses Act.