Addictive Design Act of 2026

This legislation aims to address the significant risks posed by AI chatbots, particularly those with addictive design features, to youth mental health and well-being. It mandates the President to establish an interagency task force, named the "Task Force Addressing the Impact of Addictive Design Features on Youth Mental Health," within 60 days of enactment. This task force will review existing research and develop recommendations to minimize mental health risks, identify warning signs, and guide covered entities in providing mental health services related to AI chatbot use by youth.

The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish two grant programs. The first provides research grants to institutions of higher education to study the impact of AI chatbots on youth mental health, requiring covered entities to provide necessary, anonymized data. The second offers outreach grants to eligible organizations to educate parents, legal guardians, and teachers on identifying and responding to mental health risks, including unhealthy emotional attachment and addiction, associated with youth AI chatbot use.

Crucially, the legislation prohibits "covered entities" from making AI chatbots with "addictive design features" available to youth. These features are defined to include elements designed to mimic human behavior, build emotional relationships, or ensure continued user engagement, such as showing typing bubbles, providing avatars, or storing personal information. To ensure compliance, entities deploying age verification technology must limit data collection to age determination and delete it within 24 hours. Violations of these prohibitions or data access requirements for researchers will incur substantial civil penalties and may lead to injunctive relief.