{
  "project_id": "PITHY-SIGNAL-RELATIONSHIP-FORMING-AI-2026-09-02-V3",
  "title": "When Does an AI Assistant Become a Companion?",
  "research_locked_at": "2026-09-02T18:00:00-07:00",
  "publication_status": "not_published",
  "methodology": {
    "name": "Pithy Signal evidence-first four-artifact workflow",
    "prompt_version": "evidence-first-four-artifact-v3",
    "status_labels": [
      "Enacted law",
      "Pending legislation",
      "Regulatory guidance",
      "Enforcement activity",
      "Research evidence",
      "Pithy Signal analysis"
    ],
    "derived_artifacts": [
      "draft_pithy_signal_pdf",
      "selene_brief",
      "practical_tprm_article",
      "linkedin_infographic_carousel"
    ],
    "analytical_model_notice": "Tool -> Personalized Assistant -> Emotionally Adaptive System -> Relationship System -> AI Companion is a Pithy Signal analytical model, not a regulatory taxonomy.",
    "industry_category_notice": "This record does not claim that relationship risk is an established industry risk category. It uses precise descriptions of AI acting as a companion, simulating interpersonal relationships, or exhibiting relationship-forming behavior.",
    "revision_lineage": {
      "parent_version": "PITHY-SIGNAL-AI-COMPANION-V2-2026-09-02",
      "challenge_id": "CHL-568119098D7741F6A9E9",
      "human_disposition": "Pauline accepted all 11 Challenger recommendations.",
      "scope": "V3 changes only factual specificity, source wording, cross-artifact consistency, uncertainty language, and LinkedIn tone. The source universe and research lock are unchanged."
    },
    "status_refresh": {
      "refreshed_at": "2026-09-02",
      "scope": "Every material enacted-law, pending-legislation, regulator, enforcement, litigation, authoritative-guidance, and research source in the September 1 packet.",
      "result": "State-law counts and federal-bill status were reconfirmed; the Garcia litigation status was corrected to reflect settlement and dismissal; Kentucky and Pennsylvania filed enforcement actions were added; the APA advisory date was corrected."
    }
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "source_id": "CA-SB243",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "California Legislative Information",
      "title": "SB 243 Companion chatbots, Chapter 677",
      "published_date": "2025-10-14",
      "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB243",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Approved and filed October 13, 2025."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "NY-GBL47",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "New York State Senate",
      "title": "General Business Law Article 47 - AI companions",
      "published_date": "2025-11-05",
      "url": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GBS/1700",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Definition source; companion disclosure at GBS 1702."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "WA-RCW19440",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Washington State Legislature",
      "title": "Chapter 19.440 RCW - Artificial Intelligence - Companion Chatbots",
      "published_date": "2026",
      "url": "https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.440&full=true",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Effective January 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "OR-SB1546",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Oregon Legislative Information System",
      "title": "SB 1546 Enrolled",
      "published_date": "2026",
      "url": "https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1546/Enrolled",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Chapter 85; effective January 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "CT-PA2615",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly",
      "title": "Public Act 26-15",
      "published_date": "2026-06",
      "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/act/pa/pdf/2026PA-00015-R00SB-00005-PA.pdf",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Companion provisions effective January 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "GA-SB540",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "State of Georgia",
      "title": "SB 540 - Act 518",
      "published_date": "2026-05-11",
      "url": "https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2026-signed-legislation/sb-540/download",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Effective July 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "RI-S2195",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Rhode Island General Assembly",
      "title": "S 2195 Substitute A",
      "published_date": "2026-06-22",
      "url": "https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Billtext/BillText26/SenateText26/S2195A.pdf",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Public law chapter 376; companion House act chapter 375; effective January 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "HI-SB3001",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature",
      "title": "SB 3001 SD2 HD3 CD1",
      "published_date": "2026-07-14",
      "url": "https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/GM1350_.PDF",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Governor-approved act."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "CO-HB261263",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly",
      "title": "HB 26-1263 - Online Protections for Minors",
      "published_date": "2026-05-29",
      "url": "https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1263",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Broader conversational-AI statute; not grouped as relationship-specific."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "ID-S1297",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Idaho Legislature",
      "title": "S 1297",
      "published_date": "2026",
      "url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/S1297/",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Broader conversational-AI statute."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "IA-SF2417",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Iowa Legislature",
      "title": "SF 2417 Enrolled",
      "published_date": "2026-05-02",
      "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/SF2417.pdf",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Broader conversational-AI statute; applicable July 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "NE-LB525",
      "status_label": "Enacted law",
      "publisher": "Nebraska Legislature",
      "title": "Conversational AI Safety Act",
      "published_date": "2026",
      "url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=86-1801",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Broader conversational-AI statute; operative July 1, 2027."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "FTC-6B-2025",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "U.S. Federal Trade Commission",
      "title": "FTC Launches Inquiry into AI Chatbots Acting as Companions",
      "published_date": "2025-09-11",
      "url": "https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/09/ftc-launches-inquiry-ai-chatbots-acting-companions",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Section 6(b) inquiry; not an enforcement finding."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "US-S4407",
      "status_label": "Pending legislation",
      "publisher": "U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation",
      "title": "CHATBOT Act advances to Senate floor",
      "published_date": "2026-08-05",
      "url": "https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/cruz-schatzs-chatbot-act-advances-to-the-senate-floor/",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Latest confirmed public action at the September 2, 2026 refresh was Senate Commerce Committee advancement on August 5, 2026; pending and not enacted."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "US-S4199",
      "status_label": "Pending legislation",
      "publisher": "U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation",
      "title": "Youth AI Privacy Act advances",
      "published_date": "2026-08-05",
      "url": "https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/commerce-committee-advances-kids-online-safety-legislation/",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Latest confirmed public action at the September 2, 2026 refresh was Senate Commerce Committee advancement on August 5, 2026; pending and not enacted."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "APA-ADVISORY-2025",
      "status_label": "Regulatory guidance",
      "publisher": "American Psychological Association",
      "title": "Health advisory on generative AI chatbots and wellness applications",
      "published_date": "2025-11",
      "url": "https://www.apa.org/topics/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning/health-advisory-chatbots-wellness-apps",
      "authority": "authoritative_guidance",
      "notes": "Authoritative professional advisory created November 2025; not law and not issued by a regulator. The workflow's Regulatory guidance label is an evidence-class bucket, not a claim that APA is a regulator."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "NIST-AI6001",
      "status_label": "Regulatory guidance",
      "publisher": "National Institute of Standards and Technology",
      "title": "Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework: Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile",
      "published_date": "2024-07-26",
      "url": "https://www.nist.gov/publications/artificial-intelligence-risk-management-framework-generative-artificial-intelligence",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Voluntary risk-management profile; not companion-specific law."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "FED-TPRM-2023",
      "status_label": "Regulatory guidance",
      "publisher": "Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC",
      "title": "Interagency Guidance on Third-Party Relationships: Risk Management",
      "published_date": "2023-06-06",
      "url": "https://www.federalreserve.gov/frrs/guidance/interagency-guidance-on-third-party-relationships.htm",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Sector-specific third-party-risk guidance used as a control reference."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "OPENAI-MIT-2025",
      "status_label": "Research evidence",
      "publisher": "OpenAI and MIT Media Lab",
      "title": "Early methods for studying affective use and emotional well-being on ChatGPT",
      "published_date": "2025-03-21",
      "url": "https://openai.com/index/affective-use-study/",
      "authority": "original_research",
      "notes": "Mixed-methods research; adult, short-duration, and causal limitations retained."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "NMI-PRIMING-2023",
      "status_label": "Research evidence",
      "publisher": "Nature Machine Intelligence",
      "title": "Influencing human-AI interaction by priming beliefs about AI can increase perceived trustworthiness, empathy and effectiveness",
      "published_date": "2023",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-023-00720-7",
      "authority": "peer_reviewed_research",
      "notes": "Experimental evidence on framing and perceived AI motive."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "META-HUMANLIKE-2025",
      "status_label": "Research evidence",
      "publisher": "Humanities and Social Sciences Communications",
      "title": "Meta-analysis of human-like design cues in conversational agents",
      "published_date": "2025",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-025-05618-w",
      "authority": "peer_reviewed_research",
      "notes": "800 effect sizes across 199 datasets; effects vary by outcome and context."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "CLOSE-DISCLOSE-2025",
      "status_label": "Research evidence",
      "publisher": "Communications Psychology",
      "title": "Self-disclosure and closeness in human-AI deep-talk conversations",
      "published_date": "2025",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00391-7",
      "authority": "peer_reviewed_research",
      "notes": "Experimental study; perceived partner identity materially influenced closeness."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "GUINGRICH-2025",
      "status_label": "Research evidence",
      "publisher": "arXiv",
      "title": "Companion chatbot 21-day randomized study",
      "published_date": "2025-09",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.19515",
      "authority": "research_preprint",
      "notes": "Counter-signal; no significant average social-health effect; not peer reviewed at record lock."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "TXAG-2025",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "Texas Attorney General",
      "title": "Investigation of Meta and Character.AI",
      "published_date": "2025-08-18",
      "url": "https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-investigates-meta-and-characterai-for-misleading-children-with-deceptive-ai",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Investigation announcement; no adjudicated finding stated."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "CADOJ-2025",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "California Department of Justice",
      "title": "Attorney General supports companion-chatbot protections",
      "published_date": "2025-09-12",
      "url": "https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-supports-ai-legislation-aiming-protect-children-companion",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Policy and legal-responsibility warning; not a merits finding."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "GARANTE-REPLIKA-2025",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "Italian Data Protection Authority",
      "title": "Replika sanction and further investigation",
      "published_date": "2025-05-19",
      "url": "https://www.garanteprivacy.it/home/docweb/-/docweb-display/docweb/10132048",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "International privacy enforcement; appeal rights and further investigation noted."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "KY-CHARACTERAI-2026",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "Kentucky Attorney General / Franklin Circuit Court",
      "title": "Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Character Technologies - filed complaint",
      "published_date": "2026-01-08",
      "url": "https://www.ag.ky.gov/Press%20Release%20Attachments/CTI%20Complaint%20Motion%20and%20Order%20Filed.pdf",
      "authority": "primary_court_record",
      "notes": "Filed state enforcement complaint; allegations are not adjudicated findings."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "PA-CHARACTERAI-2026",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania",
      "title": "Pennsylvania Department of State action against Character.AI",
      "published_date": "2026-05-01",
      "url": "https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2026-press-releases/icymi--gov--shapiro-sues-character-ai--crackdown-on-ai-chatbots",
      "authority": "primary",
      "notes": "Filed enforcement action seeking injunctive relief; allegations are not adjudicated findings. The linked official page provides the filed complaint."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "GARCIA-ORDER-2025",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida",
      "title": "Garcia v. Character Technologies - order on motions to dismiss",
      "published_date": "2025-05-21",
      "url": "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.433581/gov.uscourts.flmd.433581.115.0.pdf",
      "authority": "primary_court_record",
      "notes": "Pleading-stage ruling; not a merits determination. The case later settled and was dismissed."
    },
    {
      "source_id": "GARCIA-DISMISSAL-2026",
      "status_label": "Enforcement activity",
      "publisher": "U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida",
      "title": "Garcia v. Character Technologies - order of dismissal after settlement notice",
      "published_date": "2026-01-07",
      "url": "https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Florida_Middle_District_Court/6--24-cv-01903/Garcia_v._Character_Technologies_Inc._et_al/244/",
      "authority": "primary_court_record",
      "notes": "Court-filed dismissal order after the parties reported settlement; no merits judgment."
    }
  ]
}