Assembly Bill No. 489
This California legislation makes existing laws prohibiting the unauthorized use of health care professional titles, terms, letters, or phrases enforceable against entities that develop or deploy AI or generative AI systems. It prohibits AI systems from using terms in their advertising or functionality that falsely imply care, advice, reports, or assessments are being provided by a licensed natural person. Each use of a prohibited term is punishable as a separate violation under the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care professional licensing board.
Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.
Who issued it
Who it governs
AI developers and deployers operating health-related applications in California, as well as health care regulators and legal professionals.
What the document contains
The legislation addresses the misuse of professional health care titles, terms, letters, and phrases by artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence systems in their advertising and functionality. It establishes enforcement mechanisms and jurisdictional authority for health care professional licensing boards.
The text does not provide specific technical standards for AI system auditing, nor does it define specific monetary fine amounts within the excerpt itself.
- Existing prohibitions on using unauthorized health care professional titles or terms now apply directly to AI and generative AI developers and deployers.
- AI systems, programs, and devices are prohibited from using advertising or functionality that implies care or advice is provided by a licensed natural person.
- Each individual use of a prohibited term, letter, or phrase constitutes a separate violation.
- Health care professional licensing boards have jurisdiction to enforce these provisions and seek injunctions or restraining orders.
· Section 1. Chapter 15.5 added to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code - 4999.8 Definitions - 4999.9 Jurisdiction, enforcement against AI systems, prohibition of deceptive terms, and separate violations · Section 2. State-mandated local program disclaimer
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
4/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
shall be enforceable against a person or entity who develops or deploys a system or device that uses one or more of those terms
Section 1, 4999.9(b)
screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
0/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
0/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Oversight
0/5Humans remain in control of consequential decisions
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
0/5Protection of personal data and private life
screening score · 2026-10-23
Transparency
4/5Openness about how AI systems work and are used
indicates or implies that the care, advice, reports, or assessments being offered through the AI or GenAI technology is being provided by a natural person in possession of the appropriate license or certificate to practice as a health care professional, is prohibited.
Section 1, 4999.9(c)
screening score · 2026-10-23
Enforcement
4/5Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force
A violation of this chapter is subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care professional licensing board or enforcement agency.
Section 1, 4999.9(a)(1)
screening score · 2026-10-23
Impact Assessment
0/5Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use
screening score · 2026-10-23