Rank 15 of 17

AI companions

Chatbots built to be friends or partners drawing people, adults included, into emotional dependence, isolation, delusion or self-harm. Chatbots and children are kids and chatbots.

on the Fear Index

Bills23

Lobbying filings7

News89

Wikipedia28.2K

The receipts

28,167Wikipedia views on this fear in the last 30 days

89news articles about it in the last 30 days

23bills, resolutions, rules and orders cite it since January 2025, in 13 states and Congress

32new government controls written into those bills

7federal lobbying filings name it, past year

In their own words

The fear as each bill's official summary or text states it, and the controls the same bill would create.

“Requires operators of AI companions in the State to issue certain disclosures to users.”
SB 3001, HawaiiPassedLabel or AI noticeMandatory reportingHawaii Department of Health - Behavioral Health…
“require an operator to prevent a companion chatbot on its companion chatbot platform from engaging with users unless the operator maintains a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm content”
SB 243, CaliforniaPassedLabel or AI noticeMandatory reportingUse limits
“Requires operators of artificial intelligence companions and artificial intelligence companion platforms to provide notice to users that the users are interacting with artificial output”
SB 1546, OregonPassedLabel or AI noticeUse limits
“prohibits minors from accessing AI companions”
S. 3062, CongressNot passedID checks for usersLabel or AI noticeUse limits
“AI companion platforms and social media platforms using addictive features and predatory data collection”
HB 227, KentuckyNot passedID checks for usersNew agency powersKentucky Attorney General

What it's buying

The government controls written into the bills that cite this fear.

Who benefits

Agencies and officials these bills would hand new power, by number of bills.

1California Attorney GeneralAttorney generalmost common control: New agency powers2bills
2Hawaii Department of Health - Behavioral Health AdministrationAgencymost common control: Label or AI notice1bill
3California health care professional licensing boardsAgencymost common control: Use limits1bill
4Kentucky Attorney GeneralAttorney generalmost common control: ID checks for users1bill

Everyone else lobbying

Companies, trade groups, think tanks, unions and other groups whose lobbying filings name this fear, past year.

1National Alliance on Mental IllnessLobbying client4 filings
2American Psychiatric AssociationLobbying client2 filings
3Public CitizenLobbying client1 filing

Money, bills and attention

Money on filings naming it

Bills citing it

Wikipedia views

Each dot is 3 bills. Sources: lobbying filings on LDA.gov that name this fear, the bills that cite it, and Wikipedia readership of its articles.

Latest on this fear

Lobbying filing2026-10-20National Alliance on Mental Illness filed a lobbying report that mentions AI, $10K for the quarter across all its issues, naming H.R. 1, H.R. 10037, H.R. 10116, H.R. 10160, H.R. 10193, H.R. 10216, H.R. 10240, H.R. 10245, H.R. 10246, H.R. 10252, H.R. 10270, H.R. 10280, H.R. 10287, H.R. 10295, H.R. 10349, H.R. 1096, H.R. 1141, H.R. 1290, H.R. 1305, H.R. 1392, H.R. 1448, H.R. 1492, H.R. 1509, H.R. 1510, H.R. 1582, H.R. 1598, H.R. 1649, H.R. 169, H.R. 1735, H.R. 1867, H.R. 1902, H.R. 1906, H.R. 1987, H.R. 2028, H.R. 2036, H.R. 2044, H.R. 2082, H.R. 2085, H.R. 2102, H.R. 2106, H.R. 2223, H.R. 2263, H.R. 2305, H.R. 241, H.R. 2426, H.R. 247, H.R. 2483, H.R. 2495, H.R. 2502, H.R. 2509, H.R. 2540, H.R. 2586, H.R. 2587, H.R. 2590, H.R. 2630, H.R. 2668, H.R. 2711, H.R. 2741, H.R. 2879, H.R. 2904, H.R. 2936, H.R. 2942, H.R. 2945, H.R. 2957, H.R. 3103, H.R. 3130, H.R. 3243, H.R. 3260, H.R. 3262, H.R. 3265, H.R. 3266, H.R. 3305, H.R. 3308, H.R. 3312, H.R. 3316, H.R. 3320, H.R. 3363, H.R. 3372, H.R. 3384, H.R. 3419, H.R. 3420, H.R. 3505, H.R. 3514, H.R. 3520, H.R. 3534, H.R. 3567, H.R. 3601, H.R. 3621, H.R. 3624, H.R. 3627, H.R. 3655, H.R. 3658, H.R. 3689, H.R. 3743, H.R. 3757, H.R. 3758, H.R. 3884, H.R. 3907, H.R. 3939, H.R. 4022, H.R. 4024, H.R. 4028, H.R. 4037, H.R. 4120, H.R. 4186, H.R. 4313, H.R. 438, H.R. 4400, H.R. 4619, H.R. 4723, H.R. 4745, H.R. 4805, H.R. 5040, H.R. 5045, H.R. 5081, H.R. 5145, H.R. 5306, H.R. 5357, H.R. 5417, H.R. 5420, H.R. 5434, H.R. 5462, H.R. 5482, H.R. 5509, H.R. 553, H.R. 5553, H.R. 5557, H.R. 5662, H.R. 5725, H.R. 5733, H.R. 577, H.R. 5828, H.R. 5859, H.R. 5861, H.R. 5944, H.R. 6000, H.R. 6002, H.R. 6016, H.R. 6024, H.R. 608, H.R. 6096, H.R. 6133, H.R. 6226, H.R. 6249, H.R. 6283, H.R. 6296, H.R. 6383, H.R. 6396, H.R. 6403, H.R. 6408, H.R. 6454, H.R. 6548, H.R. 6617, H.R. 6630, H.R. 6672, H.R. 6679, H.R. 6680, H.R. 6727, H.R. 6760, H.R. 6817, H.R. 6841, H.R. 6858, H.R. 6940, H.R. 7019, H.R. 7030, H.R. 7049, H.R. 7092, H.R. 71, H.R. 7227, H.R. 7309, H.R. 7324, H.R. 7394, H.R. 7447, H.R. 7496, H.R. 7497, H.R. 7535, H.R. 7602, H.R. 7735, H.R. 7787, H.R. 7798, H.R. 7828, H.R. 7875, H.R. 7911, H.R. 7994, H.R. 8070, H.R. 8081, H.R. 8115, H.R. 8122, H.R. 8124, H.R. 8149, H.R. 8160, H.R. 8201, H.R. 8203, H.R. 8209, H.R. 8261, H.R. 8263, H.R. 8360, H.R. 8486, H.R. 8487, H.R. 8493, H.R. 8499, H.R. 8504, H.R. 8540, H.R. 8548, H.R. 8676, H.R. 8690, H.R. 8737, H.R. 8743, H.R. 8776, H.R. 8793, H.R. 8811, H.R. 8886, H.R. 8891, H.R. 8916, H.R. 8961, H.R. 8976, H.R. 8978, H.R. 8979, H.R. 8989, H.R. 9045, H.R. 912, H.R. 9257, H.R. 929, H.R. 930, H.R. 9376, H.R. 9396, H.R. 9488, H.R. 9538, H.R. 9547, H.R. 9551, H.R. 957, H.R. 9669, H.R. 9675, H.R. 9754, H.R. 9814, H.R. 9847, H.R. 9866, H.R. 9867, H.Res. 1256, H.Res. 1290, H.Res. 1327, H.Res. 1329, H.Res. 1503, H.Res. 1514, H.Res. 1528, H.Res. 1534, H.Res. 441, H.Res. 542, H.Res. 671, H.Res. 684, H.Res. 697, H.Res. 764, H.Res. 792, S. 1007, S. 1056, S. 1062, S. 1074, S. 1261, S. 1264, S. 1266, S. 1329, S. 139, S. 1448, S. 1477, S. 1611, S. 1655, S. 1663, S. 1673, S. 1676, S. 1689, S. 1720, S. 1748, S. 1797, S. 1816, S. 1843, S. 1878, S. 1895, S. 1897, S. 1912, S. 1924, S. 2005, S. 2011, S. 2024, S. 2037, S. 2050, S. 2069, S. 2131, S. 219, S. 2248, S. 2282, S. 2336, S. 2401, S. 2446, S. 2532, S. 2556, S. 266, S. 2709, S. 2825, S. 2826, S. 2847, S. 3042, S. 3076, S. 3139, S. 3199, S. 3230, S. 3245, S. 3271, S. 3300, S. 332, S. 3402, S. 3431, S. 3448, S. 3461, S. 3486, S. 3521, S. 3522, S. 3690, S. 3698, S. 3714, S. 3750, S. 3758, S. 3783, S. 3840, S. 3924, S. 4001, S. 4061, S. 4076, S. 414, S. 4149, S. 4202, S. 4210, S. 4261, S. 4288, S. 4468, S. 4481, S. 4503, S. 4514, S. 454, S. 4552, S. 4575, S. 46, S. 4618, S. 4640, S. 473, S. 4754, S. 4816, S. 4819, S. 4843, S. 4871, S. 5014, S. 5109, S. 5137, S. 5207, S. 5231, S. 5236, S. 5263, S. 5321, S. 5327, S. 5365, S. 5425, S. 5428, S. 5470, S. 5543, S. 5558, S. 585, S. 600, S. 607, S. 609, S. 665, S. 683, S. 702, S. 752, S. 768, S. 779, S. 825, S. 906, S. 921, S. 925, S. 926, S. 931, S. 975, S.Res. 208, S.Res. 249, S.Res. 385, S.Res. 710, S.Res. 714, S.Res. 727, S.Res. 770, S.Res. 853

The bills

The ones carrying the most controls, first.

S. 3062, CongressNot passedGUARD ActID checks for usersLabel or AI noticeUse limitsRead it on congress.gov
SB 243, CaliforniaPassedCompanion chatbots.Label or AI noticeMandatory reportingUse limitsRead it on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
AB 2023, CaliforniaNot passedCompanion chatbots: children's safety.Mandatory reportingNew agency powersRead it on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
SB 1546, OregonPassedRelating to artificial intelligence companions.Label or AI noticeUse limitsRead it on olis.oregonlegislature.gov
SB 3001, HawaiiPassedRELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.Label or AI noticeMandatory reportingRead it on capitol.hawaii.gov
HB 635, VirginiaNot passedArtificial Intelligence Chatbots Act; established, prohibited practices, penalties.Label or AI noticeUse limitsRead it on lis.virginia.gov
HB 227, KentuckyNot passedAN ACT relating to addictive online platforms.ID checks for usersNew agency powersRead it on apps.legislature.ky.gov
HB 2225, WashingtonPassedConcerning regulation of artificial intelligence companion chatbots.Label or AI noticeUse limitsRead it on app.leg.wa.gov
A 6767, New YorkNot passedRelates to artificial intelligence companion modelsLabel or AI noticeUse limitsRead it on nyassembly.gov
AB 1064, CaliforniaVetoedLeading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act.New agency powersUse limitsRead it on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

All 23 bills citing it, with filters