* § 1700. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:

1. "Artificial intelligence", "artificial intelligence technology", or
"AI" means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of
human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or
decisions influencing real or virtual environments, and that uses
machine- and human-based inputs to perceive real and virtual
environments, abstract such perceptions into models through analysis in
an automated manner, and use model inference to formulate options for
information or action.

2. "Generative artificial intelligence" means a class of AI models
that emulate the structure and characteristics of input data to generate
derived synthetic content, including, but not limited to, images,
videos, audio, text, and other digital content.

3. "AI model" means a component of an information system that
implements artificial intelligence technology and uses computational,
statistical, or machine-learning techniques to produce outputs from a
given set of inputs.

4. (a) "AI companion" means a system using artificial intelligence,
generative artificial intelligence, and/or emotional recognition
algorithms designed to simulate a sustained human or human-like
relationship with a user by:

(i) retaining information on prior interactions or user sessions and
user preferences to personalize the interaction and facilitate ongoing
engagement with the AI companion;

(ii) asking unprompted or unsolicited emotion-based questions that go
beyond a direct response to a user prompt; and

(iii) sustaining an ongoing dialogue concerning matters personal to
the user.

(b) Human relationships include, but shall not be limited to,
intimate, romantic or platonic interactions or companionship.

(c) "AI companion" shall not include:

(i) any system used by a business entity solely for customer service
or to strictly provide users with information about available commercial
services or products provided by such entity, customer service account
information, or other information strictly related to its customer
service;

(ii) any system that is primarily designed and marketed for providing
efficiency improvements or, research or technical assistance; or

(iii) any system used by a business entity solely for internal
purposes or employee productivity.

5. "Operator" means any person, partnership, association, firm, or
business entity, or any member, affiliate, subsidiary or beneficial
owner of any partnership, association, firm, or business entity who
operates for or provides an AI companion to a user.

6. "Person" means any natural person.

7. "Emotional recognition algorithms" means artificial intelligence
that detects and interprets human emotional signals in text (using
natural language processing and sentiment analysis), audio (using voice
emotion AI), video (using facial movement analysis, gait analysis, or
physiological signals), or a combination thereof.

8. "User" means any person who uses an AI companion for personal use
within the state and who is not an operator or agent or affiliate of the
operator of the AI companion.

9. "Self-harm" means intentional self-injury with or without the
intent to cause death.

* NB Effective November 5, 2025