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AB-489 • 2026

Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.

Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.

Healthcare Labor Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Bonta
Last action
Official status
Chaptered
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary states no reimbursement is required 'for a specified reason' but does not list what that specific reason is.

Stopping AI from Pretending to Be Licensed Health Care Workers

This law makes it illegal for artificial intelligence tools to use words or letters that trick people into thinking the advice comes from a licensed human health care professional.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends existing laws against fake medical titles to include companies that create or run AI technology.
  • Prohibits AI and generative AI systems from using terms, letters, or phrases in ads or features that suggest they are licensed humans.
  • Gives health care profession boards the power to handle violations of these new rules by AI developers.
  • Counts each time a prohibited term is used as a separate violation for punishment.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Companies or entities that develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
  • Organizations that deploy generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in health care settings.
  • Health care profession boards, such as the Medical Board of California, which will enforce these rules.

Terms To Know

Healing Arts Boards
Government groups within the Department of Consumer Affairs that license and regulate health care workers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill states no state reimbursement is required for local agencies, but it does not explain the specific reason why.
  • The official text provided does not list a specific effective date.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Chaptered

Official Summary Text

Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.