A new mid-year report finds that states have already enacted 84 new AI-related laws across 27 states in 2026 — and a large share of that activity is focused specifically on chatbot and AI-companion safety for kids and teens.

According to the report, child safety and accountability around AI chatbots and companion apps is now one of the most urgent issues state lawmakers are working on. That's a significant shift: AI regulation aimed specifically at protecting minors has moved from a scattered, state-by-state concern to a mainstream legislative priority within a single year.

While specifics vary by state, laws in this category commonly address things like:

If your child or teen uses an AI chatbot or AI companion app, it's worth checking whether your state has passed new protections this year — many have, and more may be on the way given how active 2026 has already been. Because requirements vary significantly by state, what applies to your family may look different from what applies elsewhere.

The scale of this year's legislative activity — 84 laws across 27 states by mid-year — suggests that AI-companion safety for minors has become a top-tier policy priority nationally, not just in a handful of states. Anyone working in child safety, education policy, or product compliance touching AI products used by minors should expect this pace of change to continue.

State lawmakers are moving fast on AI safety for kids in 2026. Whether or not you've heard about it yet, new legal protections may already apply to the AI chatbots and companion apps your child uses — it's worth a quick check of what's changed in your state this year.

▶ Watch the 30-second video version: https://youtube.com/shorts/IdhRoGGx7KY

Source: https://www.prweb.com/releases/84-new-state-ai-laws-signal-growing-momentum-for-child-safety-and-accountability-302830374.html

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