This bill creates a new Part in Tennessee’s criminal code making it a Class A felony for any person or business “knowingly” to train an artificial intelligence system in ways that could harm individuals or pretend to be human. Under the proposal, AI would be off-limits if it is designed to encourage suicide or criminal homicide, pose as a licensed mental-health professional, offer ongoing emotional support or companionship, simulate a human being’s voice or appearance, or coax users into isolation or the sharing of sensitive data. A parallel civil cause of action allows anyone harmed by such AI training to sue for actual or liquidated damages (up to $150,000), plus punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and injunctive relief.
By targeting the “training” phase—when programmers feed data into large language models—Tennessee aims to nip risky or deceptive systems in the bud, rather than chase after harmful chatbots once they go live. The carve-outs for ordinary customer-service bots, video-game NPCs, and simple voice assistants make clear the legislature is focused on advanced AI that blurs the line between machine and human. Criminal penalties are steep, but the Fiscal Note suggests prosecutions will be rare because most developers will adjust their training methods to comply.
From a conservative, originalist perspective, the state is exercising its traditional police powers to protect life, mental health, property, and public order. Training an AI to encourage self-harm or kill others is no different, in principle, than teaching a person to do the same—both are rightly criminalized. The civil remedies reinforce private rights and accountability, letting individuals vindicate harm without relying solely on government prosecutors.
It places heavy burdens on companies to audit their models for forbidden behaviors, essentially deputizing them as state regulators. Finding the right balance between guarding citizens and preserving innovation will be key if this law takes effect in 2026.
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