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Assembly committee advances bill banning AI systems from claiming to be licensed health professionals
Summary
AB 489 would prohibit artificial‑intelligence systems from representing themselves as licensed health professionals and hold developers or deployers accountable; the Assembly committee passed the measure amid broad support from medical societies and health systems.
Assemblymember Rob Bonta presented AB 489 (as introduced) to bar AI systems from representing themselves as licensed or certified health care professionals. The bill would apply existing title protections to AI systems and create enforcement against developers or deployers who misrepresent AI as a licensed clinician.
Medical and behavioral‑health organizations — including the California Medical Association, SEIU California, county behavioral health directors and numerous specialty societies — voiced support. Doctor Karthik Sarma, representing the California Medical Association, said AI can assist clinicians but cannot replace the training and judgment of licensed professionals; Sarma cited examples where chatbots claiming to be clinicians produced harmful advice.
Cosponsors and health systems including Kaiser Permanente and professional organizations emphasized the risk to patients — especially youth and people seeking mental‑health advice — if an AI system impersonates a licensed provider. No organized opposition testified in committee. Members voiced support and offered to be added as coauthors. The committee passed the bill to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection.
