Chatbot Laws · verified Oct. 21, 2026
Applies from July 1, 2027. Operators of public conversational AI services must disclose to minor account holders that they are talking to AI, limit sexual content and human-like or romantic statements toward minors, offer privacy tools, and adopt a suicide and self-harm referral protocol. All users must get an AI disclosure when they could think they are talking to a human.
Who must comply
Operators, meaning persons who develop and make a conversational AI service (AI whose primary purpose is simulating human conversation) available to the public. A minor is someone the operator knows or is reasonably certain is under 18. Excludes research tools, features inside other apps, narrow-topic tools, business tools that help customers obtain services or goods, voice-assistant devices and purely internal business tools; app stores and search engines are not operators (§ 554J.1).
What it requires
| AI disclosure | For minor account holders, the operator must clearly and conspicuously disclose that they are interacting with AI. For everyone else, the operator must disclose that the service is AI if a reasonable person would believe they are talking to a human.When: Minors: a persistent visible disclaimer, or a disclaimer at the beginning of each interaction and at least once every three hours of continuous interaction. Other users (when a reasonable person would think it is human): a persistent visible disclaimer, or a disclaimer after every three hours of continuous interaction.§ 554J.2(1) and § 554J.3 |
|---|---|
| Minors | Operators may not give minor users points or similar rewards at unpredictable intervals meant to boost engagement, must use reasonable measures to stop the service from producing sexually explicit visual depictions, telling the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, or sexually objectifying the minor, and must offer privacy and account-setting tools to minors and, for minors under 13 (and otherwise as appropriate to relevant risks), to their parents or guardians.§ 554J.2(2), (3), (5) |
| Crisis protocol | Operators must adopt protocols for responding to user prompts about suicidal ideation or self-harm, including at least reasonable efforts to refer the user to crisis services such as a suicide hotline or crisis text line.§ 554J.4 |
| Design limits | Operators must use reasonable measures to prevent statements that would lead a reasonable person to think they are talking to a human, including explicit claims of being sentient or human, statements simulating emotional dependence on a minor account holder, simulated romantic interaction or sexual innuendo, and role-playing an adult-minor romantic relationship.§ 554J.2(4) |
| Therapy and licensed titles | Operators may not knowingly and intentionally cause or program a conversational AI service to make a statement that would lead a reasonable person to believe it is designed to provide professional psychology or behavioral health services that require a license under chapter 154B or 154D.§ 554J.5 |
Enforcement
| Enforced by | Attorney General§ 554J.6 |
|---|---|
| Private lawsuits | No |
| Penalties | Injunction, plus liability for the greater of actual damages or a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation, up to a maximum of $500,000 per operator. Penalties go to the state general fund. The Attorney General enforces and must adopt rules under chapter 17A. No private right of action is created; an AI model developer is not liable solely because a third party used its model to build a conversational AI service. |
Key dates
- Law takes effect; operator duties do not apply until July 1, 2027
- Act applies to operators
Related laws
- Nebraska LB 525Conversational Artificial Intelligence Safety ActTakes effect July 1, 2027
Sources
- Bill history for SF 2417, Iowa Legislature BillBook Supports: vote counts, dates, substitution for HF 2507; signed May 2, 2026; Acts chapter 1068; effective date 07/01/2026, applicability date 07/01/2027.
- Senate File 2417 Enrolled, Iowa Legislature Supports: all operative text.
- 2026 Iowa Acts chapter 1068 Supports: 'Approved May 2, 2026'; applicability July 1, 2027.
- Governor's letter on SF 2417 Supports: approved May 2, 2026.