New York lawmakers want AI chatbots to stop pretending to be doctors or lawyers

"Senate Bill S7263, introduced by Democratic state Senator Kristen Gonzalez, passed out of a technology committee on a 6-0 vote last week and now advances to a reading on the floor of the Senate. Interestingly, the bill requires operators to clearly label their chatbots as AI, but stipulates that such a label isn't enough to shield them from lawsuits under the statute."

"The proposal reflects a growing shift in how policymakers are thinking about AI. While early efforts focused mostly on transparency, lawmakers are beginning to explore something arguably more consequential: whether companies should be legally liable when AI systems give advice that causes real-world harm."

"The bill applies to chatbots that give advice in the fields of medicine, law, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, pharmacy, nursing, podiatry, optometry, engineering, land surveying, geology, architecture, psychology, and social work."

New York is advancing Senate Bill S7263, which would restrict AI chatbots from providing advice in licensed professional fields including medicine, law, dentistry, engineering, psychology, and social work. The bill permits individuals harmed by such advice to pursue legal action against chatbot operators. Notably, the legislation requires clear AI labeling but specifies that such disclosure does not protect operators from lawsuits. This represents a significant policy shift from earlier transparency-focused approaches toward establishing legal liability for AI-generated harm. Other states including California and Nevada have enacted similar legislation with varying scopes and enforcement mechanisms, primarily targeting healthcare applications. California's approach focuses on misrepresentation of information sources and relies on state healthcare boards for enforcement, while Nevada prohibits AI systems designed to dispense mental health therapy.

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