Australia’s House Passes Bill Extending Safety Duties to AI Chatbots

Australia’s House of Representatives passed legislation on Oct. 28 that would place artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots under a broad online safety duty, extending protections for users under 18 and setting potential penalties as high as A$109.2 million. The Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026 would require covered online services, including AI chatbots, to protect young people from harmful material, conduct and product features. The framework sets a general safety obligation rather than a separate ban on chatbots that simulate emotional intimacy. Services would need to account for safety in product design and maintain systems to protect young users. Noncompliance could draw penalties of up to A$109.2 million. The proposal is separate from Australia’s under-16 social media restriction, which has prompted planned lawsuits against five platforms .

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