Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 489 into law, a measure aimed at protecting patients from artificial intelligence (AI) systems that may misrepresent themselves as licensed medical professionals. The bill, sponsored by the California Medical Association (CMA) and authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, grants state health professions boards clear authority to enforce title protections against developers and users of such AI systems.
The legislation addresses concerns about the increasing use of AI chatbots in healthcare settings and their potential to mislead patients. According to CMA President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D., “The passage of AB 489 is a critical victory for patient safety and transparency. In an era of rapidly advancing technology, it is essential that patients know when they are interacting with an AI system or a licensed human clinician. This bill safeguards the trust between patients and their doctors that forms the cornerstone of medicine, and we thank Governor Newsom for signing this vital protection into law and Assemblymember Bonta for championing this cause.”
AB 489 received broad support in the legislature, passing with 39 yes votes in the Senate and 79 yes votes in the Assembly. Its enactment highlights CMA’s ongoing efforts to ensure that new technologies contribute positively to safe and high-quality patient care.
The new law was part of CMA’s legislative package for the 2025 session.
