The Addictive Design Act of 2026 prohibits companies from offering AI chatbots with addictive design features to anyone under age 18, citing concerns about mental health risks and potential links to youth suicide. The bill defines addictive design features as elements designed to mimic human behavior, build emotional relationships, or encourage continued use, including typing bubbles, avatars, personal information storage, and conversations lasting over two hours. To support this goal, the legislation establishes a federal task force of government officials, academics, and mental health professionals to review research on AI chatbots' impact on youth mental health and recommend best practices for companies. The bill also creates two grant programs funded at $3 million for university research and $5 million for public outreach to parents and teachers about warning signs of unhealthy chatbot use. Companies that violate the ban face civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, while those that fail to provide requested research data face penalties up to $10 million.