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SB 3384

AI COMPANION MODEL SAFETY ACT

104th Regular Session Introduced by Laura Ellman and 1 co-sponsor

Illinois requires AI companions to have suicide/self-harm safety protocols and user notifications that they are AI, with penalties and funding to 9-8-8 crisis services.

Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As May 22, 2026
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Bill Summary · SB 3384

Overview

SB 3384, introduced in the Illinois 104th General Assembly, creates the Artificial Intelligence Companion Model Safety Act. The bill aims to govern operators of artificial intelligence (AI) companions that engage in sustained, human-like interactions with users. It establishes requirements for safety protocols (notably related to suicidal ideation and self-harm), mandatory user notifications that a human is not involved, enforcement penalties, and a dedicated funding mechanism via the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund.

Purpose and intent

  • Ensure user safety in AI companion interactions by mandating protocols to detect and address suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm.
  • Provide clear disclosures that users are interacting with an AI, not a human.
  • Establish penalties to deter noncompliance and allocate related revenues to support mental health crisis services in Illinois.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definitions (Section 5)

    • “Artificial intelligence companion”: an AI system designed to simulate sustained human or human-like relationships, including memory of past interactions, personalized engagement, and ongoing dialogue on personal matters.
    • Exclusions: AI systems used purely for customer service, efficiency improvements/technical assistance, or internal employee use are not considered AI companions under this act.
    • “Emotional recognition algorithms”: tools that detect human emotions from text, audio, video, or physiological signals.
    • “Self-harm” and “suicidal ideation” are defined, as is “user” and “operator.”

  • Prohibitions and requirements (Section 10)

    • Operators may not operate or provide an AI companion to a user unless the AI includes a protocol to reasonably detect and address suicidal ideation or self-harm.
    • The protocol must include detection capabilities and a mechanism to refer users to crisis services (e.g., 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) when suicidal ideation or self-harm is detected.

  • Required notifications (Section 15)

    • Operators must clearly notify users that they are not communicating with a human, verbally or in text.
    • Notifications must occur at the start of an interaction and at least every three hours during continuing AI companion interactions.

  • Enforcement and penalties (Section 20)

    • The Attorney General may file actions to enjoin unlawful conduct and seek civil penalties up to $15,000 per day for violations, in addition to other remedies.
    • Moneys collected under the Act are deposited into the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund.

  • Funding and the Statewide 9-8-8 Trust Fund (Sections 25)

    • Creates and funds the Trust Fund to support a statewide suicide prevention and mental health crisis system (aligned with the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act and related FCC rules).
    • Fund sources include General Assembly appropriations, grants/gifts, investment earnings, proceeds from a statewide 9-8-8 surcharge (Telecommunication Tax Act), and fees/fines/penalties collected under this Act.
    • Moneys in the Fund do not revert at year-end and remain available for crisis system purposes; an annual deposit/expenditure report is required to the General Assembly and FCC.
    • Defines the “statewide 9-8-8 suicide prevention and mental health crisis system” to include Lifeline centers, mobile crisis teams, crisis receiving/stabilization facilities, and related programs.

  • Effective date and severability

    • Effective January 1, 2027.
    • Provisions are severable.

Who/what is affected

  • Operators of AI companions in Illinois (including businesses, entities, or individuals providing such technologies to users in the state).
  • Users of AI companions within Illinois.
  • State agencies and the Department of Human Services (administration of the 9-8-8 Trust Fund and crisis services).
  • The General Assembly, by requiring annual reporting related to fund deposits and expenditures.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: January 1, 2027.
  • Enforcement authority: Illinois Attorney General, with civil penalties up to $15,000 per day for violations.
  • Fund administration: Managed by the Department of Human Services; annual reporting to General Assembly and FCC is required.
  • Revenue and fund mechanics: Penalties and other fund-eligible moneys support the statewide 9-8-8 crisis system.

Potential impacts

  • Increased safety controls for AI companions, particularly around mental health risk monitoring and crisis referral.
  • New disclosure obligations for AI interactions to ensure user awareness of non-human communication.
  • Financial penalties intended to deter noncompliance and channel penalties into mental health crisis infrastructure.
  • Creation/augmentation of Illinois’ 9-8-8 crisis support framework through dedicated funding, potentially enhancing access to crisis services statewide.

Note: The bill defines a specific scope for what qualifies as an AI companion, excluding certain enterprise or internal-use systems, which narrows regulatory reach to consumer-facing, relationship-oriented AI products.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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