Imagine you are asking an artificial intelligence chatbot for guidance about a legal dispute or a troubling medical symptom. A proposed bill in New York could soon limit how those systems respond. Lawmakers in the state are advancing legislation that would prohibit AI chatbots from providing what the bill calls “substantive” responses or advice in fields that require professional licenses, including law and medicine. The proposal aims to ensure that critical decisions affecting health, legal rights, or safety are guided by licensed professionals rather than automated systems. Supporters argue that such limits could reduce misinformation and prevent people from relying on unverified automated guidance in high-stakes situations.
The legislation was introduced by New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez and is part of a broader package of measures intended to regulate artificial intelligence systems operating in the state. The bill focuses primarily on companies that develop or deploy AI chatbots that interact directly with consumers. If enacted, the rule would apply to platforms whose systems generate responses that resemble advice typically provided by licensed professionals such as lawyers, physicians, or mental health providers. The measure would also allow individuals who rely on such chatbot responses and suffer harm to file civil lawsuits against the companies responsible for the AI systems.
The proposal currently sits within the New York State legislative process and has already advanced through the Senate Internet and Technology Committee with unanimous support. Known as Senate Bill S7263, it would amend the state’s general business law to regulate chatbot behavior in professional domains. The bill forms part of a broader legislative push in New York aimed at increasing transparency and accountability for artificial intelligence technologies as they become more widely used in daily life. These efforts include related measures that require AI systems to disclose when users are interacting with artificial intelligence and to warn that generated outputs may be inaccurate.
The proposed law works by applying existing professional licensing rules to AI systems. In New York, humans cannot legally practice professions such as law or medicine without proper licenses. The bill extends that principle to chatbot operators by making them liable if their systems provide responses that would constitute the unauthorized practice of those professions if delivered by a person. Even if a chatbot displays a disclaimer stating that it is not a lawyer or doctor, that notice would not shield the company from legal responsibility if the system still provides prohibited advice. The approach resembles placing guardrails on a machine: the rules attempt to prevent automated tools from entering areas traditionally reserved for trained experts.
If the bill ultimately passes both chambers of the state legislature and is signed by the governor, companies operating AI chatbots in New York could face new legal risks and operational restrictions. The proposal signals how governments are beginning to define boundaries for artificial intelligence in sensitive domains. For readers following the issue, a practical next step is monitoring the progress of Senate Bill S7263 through the legislative process, since its outcome could influence how other states approach regulating AI systems that provide professional guidance.