[ GLOSSARY ]
What is a companion chatbot?
Definition
Policy and practiceCompanion chatbot
A companion chatbot is an AI designed for ongoing personal conversation: it remembers the user, may ask about their feelings and can act like a friend.
Why it matters for schools
Several states now regulate them. California's SB 243 covers AI capable of meeting a user's social needs across sessions; New York's law covers AI companions with memory, unprompted emotion-based questions and ongoing personal dialogue; Washington and Oregon have their own rules. In September 2025 the FTC ordered seven companies to report on how they test companion-style chatbots for harm to minors.
For school AI
A school AI should be built for schoolwork, avoid unprompted emotional questions and never present itself as a friend. We describe Nexus as a study assistant, never a companion.
In the web and mobile apps, Nexus describes itself as a study assistant.
[ FAQ ]
Questions and answers
What makes a chatbot a companion under the law?
Laws vary. California's SB 243 covers AI capable of meeting a user's social needs across sessions; New York focuses on memory, unprompted emotional questions and ongoing personal dialogue.
Do companion chatbot laws apply to school AI?
Sometimes. Washington exempts narrowly tailored, curriculum-aligned school tools; California's law does not mention education.
Is Nexus a companion chatbot?
No. Nexus is a study assistant built for schoolwork.
[ SOURCES ]
Sources
Facts checked Oct 18, 2026.
- 1California SB 243 (companion chatbots)Oct 13, 2025 · leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- 2New York General Business Law 1700 and following (AI companions)Nov 7, 2025 · nysenate.gov
- 3Washington HB 2225, session law (chapter 168)Mar 24, 2026 · lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov
- 4Oregon SB 1546 (2026)2026 · olis.oregonlegislature.gov
- 5FTC, inquiry into AI chatbots acting as companionsSep 11, 2025 · ftc.gov
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