A new proposed law was introduced on February 10, 2025, AB 489, that is aimed to protect Californians from AI systems that misrepresent “themselves” as health professionals. Specifically, the bill will provide regulators the authority to enforce title protections against those who develop or deploy AI systems that claim to be a licensed or certified health professional.

This legislation, sponsored by SEIU California and the California Medical Association, comes after multiple stories of individuals developing unhealthy relationships with AI chatbots and these same chatbots being found to pose as licensed practitioners.

Additionally, the Bill author claims AI is taking the health field by storm, with some companies pushing staff to use Generative AI to respond to patients and others developing for-hire “AI nurses.” This bill ensures consumers are clear about who they are or are not talking to.

This bill would make provisions of law that prohibit the use of specified terms, letters, or phrases to falsely indicate or imply possession of a license or certificate to practice a health care profession, as defined, enforceable against an entity who develops or deploys artificial intelligence technology that uses one or more of those terms, letters, or phrases in its advertising or functionality.

The bill would prohibit the use by AI technology of certain terms, letters, or phrases that indicate or imply that the advice or care being provided through AI is being provided by a natural person with the appropriated health care license or certificate.

This bill would make a violation of these provisions subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care profession board, and would make each use of a prohibited term, letter, or phrase punishable as a separate violation.