A bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general sent a letter to major AI software companies demanding safeguards to protect users from harmful chatbot interactions. The letter cites multiple incidents of mental health struggles, self-harm, and deaths, particularly affecting children and vulnerable populations. Companies are asked to implement safety testing, recall procedures, and clear warnings by January 16, 2026.
The coalition demands that AI companies implement robust safety testing, establish recall procedures, and provide clear warnings to consumers. They are requested to schedule meetings with attorneys general and commit to changes by January 16, 2026.
In-house legal teams should review contracts with AI software vendors to ensure they include clauses for robust safety testing, clear consumer warnings, and recall procedures. Contracts should address liability for harms caused by chatbot interactions, especially involving children, and require compliance with safety standards. Clauses related to data privacy and automated decisions may need enhancement to protect against the risks highlighted in this enforcement action.
Entity
Anthropic, Apple, Chai AI, Character Technologies, Google, Luka, Meta, Microsoft, Nomi AI, OpenAI, Perplexity AI, Replika, xAI
Also known as: Anthropic
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2025-press-releases/letter-to-ai-software-companies
ai multistate letter.pdf?rev=fb0bc7dd33f84ae3ba86b227d8ea4de
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2025/ai-multistate-letter.pdf?rev=fb0bc7dd33f84ae3ba86b227d8ea4def&hash=4B881D6A9466DC39A199C7FA7D6FFC8E
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
"In a letter to Anthropic, Apple, Chai AI, Character Technologies, Google, Luka, Meta, Microsoft, Nomi AI, OpenAI, Perplexity AI, Replika, and xAI"
"the coalition points to numerous incidents of harm — particularly affecting vulnerable populations — involving unregulated interactions with chatbots."
"Seventy-two percent of teenagers reported having interactions with an A.I. chatbot, and nearly 40 percent of parents with children ages 5 through 8, have reported that their child has used A.I."
On May 11, 2026, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong led a bipartisan coalition of 21 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to abandon draft guidance that would ease approvals for flavored e-cigarette products. The coalition argues the guidance ignores evidence that flavored e-cigarettes disproportionately drive youth addiction and that FDA has failed to enforce existing authorization requirements for e-cigarette products. The letter references past tobacco and e-cigarette enforcement actions, including the 1998 tobacco master settlement agreement and the 2022 $438.5 million settlement with JUUL Labs.
Connecticut’s legislature passed House Bill 5312, creating new civil enforcement mechanisms for deepfake digital sexual assault, including unauthorized dissemination of synthetically created intimate images and AI-generated child pornography. The bill establishes a private right of action for victims and empowers the Connecticut Attorney General to pursue civil injunctions and penalties against abusers and platforms hosting illegal content. This builds on prior Connecticut laws criminalizing unauthorized intimate image dissemination.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong praised final passage of House Bill 5312, which creates new civil enforcement mechanisms for deepfake digital sexual assault. The legislation allows the AG to pursue civil injunctions and penalties against platforms that disseminate illegal synthetic intimate images, including AI-generated child pornography, and establishes a private right of action for victims. The bill builds on prior Connecticut laws criminalizing unauthorized dissemination of intimate images.
$300K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with international trade platform Made-in-China to cease all U.S. sales of unlawful 'research grade' GLP-1 weight loss drugs following an investigation into direct sales to consumers without prescriptions or medical oversight. The settlement prohibits the platform from hosting GLP-1 sales to U.S. customers, requires a monitoring system to remove non-compliant listings, and imposes a $300,000 penalty suspended after an initial $30,000 payment. Additional settlements were announced with Radiance Medspa and Advanced Medical Weight Loss over compounded non-FDA approved GLP-1 drugs.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued a statement on May 1, 2026, announcing the final passage of bipartisan legislation targeting youth social media addiction and artificial intelligence harms. The legislation imposes new obligations on social media companies regarding minor account settings, parental consent, and reporting, as well as requirements for AI chatbot operators and employers using automated decision tools. The statement also references ongoing enforcement actions against Meta and TikTok for allegedly designing addictive platform features for youth.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued a statement on May 1, 2026, following final passage of bipartisan legislation to combat youth social media addiction and regulate artificial intelligence harms. The legislation imposes new requirements on social media companies regarding minor users, including parental consent for addictive algorithms, default privacy settings, and annual reporting obligations. It also establishes rules for AI chat bots and automated employment decision tools, including disclosure requirements and self-harm detection protocols.