# Summary
The Senior Chatbot Protection Act of 2026 establishes safety and transparency requirements for artificial intelligence chatbots, with a particular focus on protecting older adults and vulnerable users. The bill requires chatbot companies to clearly disclose when users are interacting with AI rather than humans, detect when users are making high-stakes decisions involving health, finances, legal matters, or estate planning, and provide appropriate warnings that chatbot advice should not be the sole basis for such decisions. Companies must also identify crisis situations such as suicidal ideation or medical emergencies and refer users to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or emergency services rather than providing relevant medical or safety advice themselves. The legislation restricts how companies can collect and use conversation data, prohibits manipulative design practices that exploit older adults or encourage excessive reliance on chatbots, and requires annual reporting to federal agencies on harmful incidents. Most requirements take effect 180 days after enactment, though crisis detection and response requirements have a one-year implementation timeline. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce the rules, impose civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, and state attorneys general may also bring enforcement actions on behalf of residents.
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