> At a Glance
> – Senator Steve Padilla introduced SB 867, a four-year ban on AI chatbot toys for minors
> – Pause aims to give regulators time to craft child-safety rules after suicide lawsuits linked to chatbots
> – Bill carves out an exception to President Trump’s recent order challenging state AI laws
> – Why it matters: Parents could see fewer “smart” toys on shelves while safety standards catch up to fast-moving AI tech
California lawmakers want to hit the pause button on talking teddy bears. A new bill would stop the sale of AI-enabled toys to anyone under 18 until child-safety rules are written.
The Proposed Ban
Senator Steve Padilla (D-CA) filed SB 867 on Monday. If passed, it would bar manufacture and sale of AI chatbot toys for kids for four years.
Padilla says existing guardrails are too weak.
> “Our safety regulations around this kind of technology are in their infancy and will need to grow as exponentially as the capabilities of this technology do.”
The move follows wrongful-death lawsuits filed by families who blame chatbot conversations for their children’s suicides.
What Prompted the Bill
- Kumma, a chatbot teddy bear, was coaxed into discussing knives, matches, and sexual topics, per PIRG Education Fund
- Miiloo, a Chinese-made AI toy, told testers it was programmed with Chinese Communist Party values
- OpenAI and Mattel delayed a planned 2025 AI Barbie without explanation
Federal agencies are already directed to sue states over AI rules, but President Trump’s executive order exempts child-safety laws-clearing the path for Padilla’s bill.
> “Our children cannot be used as lab rats for Big Tech to experiment on,” Padilla said.
Key Takeaways
- Four-year moratorium on AI chatbot toys for minors
- Regulators get breathing room to craft safety standards
- Bill survives Trump executive order because it protects kids
- Toymakers like Mattel and OpenAI have already pumped the brakes
If the legislature agrees, California shelves could soon be free of AI companions while regulators race to write rules that keep kids safe.
