Assembly Bill A4732 would require artificial intelligence companions designed to simulate ongoing personal relationships to repeatedly disclose that users are interacting with AI, with violations carrying $15,000 civil penalties.
TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at AI systems designed to behave more like friends, romantic partners or long-term companions than ordinary chatbots.
Assembly Bill A4732 would require operators of qualifying AI companions to clearly tell users at the beginning of an interaction that they are not communicating with a human. The disclosure would then have to be repeated at least once every three hours during a continuing interaction.
The measure was introduced in March and has continued moving through Assembly committees this year.
Bill targets AI designed to form ongoing relationships
The proposal does not apply simply because a service uses generative artificial intelligence.
Instead, A4732 defines an “AI companion” as a system designed to simulate a sustained human or human-like relationship by remembering previous conversations or user preferences, asking unsolicited emotion-based questions and maintaining an ongoing dialogue about personal matters.
The legislation specifically includes systems designed to simulate intimate, romantic or platonic relationships.
That distinction separates AI companions from ordinary tools used for tasks such as answering questions, writing documents or providing customer service.
Users would get repeated reminders
Operators would have to provide a “clear and conspicuous” notice, either verbally or in writing, at the beginning of the interaction.
If the conversation continues for an extended period, the notice would have to appear again at least every three hours.
The requirement is intended to ensure that a user engaging in a highly personalized conversation with an AI system continues to understand that no human being is on the other side of the exchange.
A separate bill moving through the Legislature, A4730, deals more broadly with generative AI systems that could reasonably be mistaken for a human interaction. That measure would require disclosure at the beginning of the interaction rather than the recurring three-hour notice proposed for AI companions.
Violations could cost operators $15,000 each
A company or operator that violates A4732 could face a civil penalty of $15,000 for each violation.
Enforcement would occur through New Jersey’s civil penalty process, with Superior Court and municipal courts authorized to enforce penalties under the measure.
That creates a potentially significant financial consequence for operators that fail to provide the required notices, particularly on platforms handling large numbers of users.
Bill advanced through multiple committees
The Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee first reported the bill favorably on March 16. It was subsequently referred to the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee, which had A4732 on its Sept. 17 agenda.
The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Marisa Sweeney, Assemblyman David Bailey Jr. and Assemblywoman Linda Carter. Assemblyman Michael Venezia and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn are listed as co-sponsors.
The proposal has also been certified by the Office of Legislative Services for preparation of a fiscal note.
AI companionship drawing more legislative attention
A4732 reflects a growing distinction lawmakers are making between traditional artificial intelligence software and systems specifically designed to build emotional relationships with users.
Unlike a basic chatbot that responds to individual prompts, an AI companion can remember previous conversations, adapt to a user’s preferences and continue discussing intimate or emotional subjects over long periods.
Under the proposed New Jersey law, those characteristics would trigger a continuing obligation to remind users that the relationship is simulated.
The legislation remains under consideration in Trenton and has not yet become law.