The Florida Senate this week passed SB 482, a measure titled the “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights” that would establish new consumer protections and transparency requirements for artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on safeguards for children and rules governing certain AI chatbots.
Sponsored by Sen. Tom Leek, the proposal is described by Senate leaders as an effort to address concerns that rapidly advancing generative AI systems can mimic human interaction in ways that may mislead users—especially minors and vulnerable adults. Senate President Ben Albritton said the legislation is intended to balance private-sector innovation with accountability, arguing that people should be able to tell whether they are communicating with a human or a computer.
“I believe people have a right to know if they are communicating with a person or a computer,” Albritton said. “For example, it’s not fair, and it’s not moral for a computer to give advice to someone seeking mental health treatment or support. That’s a job people do for people. This legislation strikes the right balance between technological evolution and transparency that protects consumers.”
SB 482 targets “companion chatbot” platforms and would require parental consent for a minor to hold an account. If consent is granted, parents or guardians would receive specified controls over the minor’s account, and the platform would be required to permanently delete all personal information associated with a terminated account upon request.
The bill would also require companion chatbot platforms to provide certain disclosures, remind users to take breaks, and inform users that the chatbot is artificially generated and not human. Platforms would be required to take reasonable steps to prevent chatbots from producing or sharing material deemed harmful to minors.
In addition, operators would be required to notify users at the start of an interaction, and at least once every hour during ongoing use, that the user is not engaging in dialogue with a human counterpart, with an exception for bots used only by employees for internal business operations.
The proposal would restrict the sale or disclosure of users’ personal information unless the data is deidentified or permitted by federal law, place limits on state contracting for AI products tied to a “foreign country of concern,” and prohibit commercial use of AI-generated likenesses without consent.
It would also create a statewide framework for AI instructional tools used by educational entities, including parental notice and opt-outs, and restrict access before grade 6 except in specified circumstances.
