The Bots Research Act directs the Federal Trade Commission chairman to establish a task force within 90 days to study how automated accounts affect social media platforms, public discourse, and elections. The task force will include experts from government, academia, nonprofit organizations, and industry who specialize in automation technology, and will examine what qualifies as a bot, how widespread automated accounts are, how they are being used, and ways to combat harmful uses while protecting free speech rights. The task force must deliver a comprehensive report to Congress and relevant federal agencies within one year of its establishment that addresses these questions while considering technological innovation, constitutional protections, election security, and the need for responsive regulations. Task force members will serve without compensation or travel expense reimbursement, and the FTC will provide necessary staff support for the work. This legislation does not include specific funding amounts but requires the FTC to allocate existing resources to support the task force's operations.