Briefing paper SHARE From bans to recalls: a public health framework for AI companion bots 22 May 2026 Gaia Bernstein Publisher Brookings Assistive technology Sector regulation Public health Emerging technologies Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology social aspects Resources From bans to recalls Description Artificial intelligence (AI) companion bots are a public health problem. This policy brief proposes applying a public health framework to AI companions. This is a logical extension of a regulatory tradition that has long held companies accountable when their products harm human health. The health risks of AI companions go beyond mental health. They impose physical dangers and make users, particularly young users, at risk for loneliness and isolation. Loneliness has a well-documented impact on physical and mental health. While legislative solutions exist, most focus on the first layer of harm: lack of guardrails. AI companions are not designed for medical purposes, but they demonstrably harm public health and should be regulated accordingly. Once bans are recognised as recalls, the real demand becomes clear: companies must prove their products are safe before putting them back on the market.Key findingsAI companion bots impose three layers of harm: lack of guardrails, addictive design and risk of disruption of social skills.The most comprehensive legislative solutions that address all three of these harms are currently understood as 'bans', and thus often meet resistance.They would be better framed as 'recalls', which are already used across many industries where public health impacts are closely monitored. Employing a recall regime in the AI industry can change the playing field by creating a safety floor – so companies can design their AI bots for safety without losing to their competitors. Publication Details Copyright: The Brookings Institution 2026 License type: All Rights Reserved Access Rights Type: open Post date: 16 Jun 2026 Add to favourites ADVERTISEMENT More like this Report AI to support neurodivergent learners in vocational education and training 19 Feb 2026 OECD Publishing Report Human rights and technology: final report 27 May 2021 Australian Human Rights Commission Report AI principles to practice 25 Jul 2022 CEDA Report Generative AI in children’s lives: issues in the use of AI toys, companions, chatbots and devices 18 May 2026 ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child Report Relational futures: Indigenous sovereignty and the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) 22 Apr 2026 Macquarie University Working paper Voice AI and authenticity: current issues and emerging challenges 31 Aug 2025 ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society Report Facing the risk 27 Jul 2021 Center for Strategic and International Studies Report Automated legal guidance at federal agencies: report for the Administrative Conference of the United States 27 May 2022 Administrative Conference of the United States Briefing paper Artificial Intelligence, gender and economic equality 2 Jul 2025 Working with Women Alliance Policy report Addressing the liability gap in AI accidents 31 Jul 2023 Centre for International Governance Innovation 0123456789