Idaho AI Laws: What's Enacted and What's Next (2027)

As of November 2026, Idaho has enacted targeted AI laws but, in our search, no comprehensive AI act. The main ones are the generative AI in schools chapter (SB 1227, Idaho Code Title 33, Chapter 70), in force since July 1, 2026, and the Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 1297, Idaho Code Title 48, Chapter 22), which is signed but does not take effect until July 1, 2027.

How we searched: Where this page says we found no law, we mean a text search of our stored copy of the Idaho Code, captured August 1, 2026, for "artificial intelligence", "chatbot", "machine learning", "algorithm" and "automated decision", plus the Legislature's 2026 weekly bill status report, the bill pages named here, web searches, and the NAIC's list of state insurance bulletins. A code search does not reach uncodified session-law text, and the bill status report lists bills by title, not full text. A provision inside a larger act could be missed.

This page covers Idaho state law as of November 4, 2026. It is general legal information, not legal advice. For the national picture, see our guide to US AI laws.

Idaho AI Laws at a Glance

Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 1297): Idaho's Chatbot Law

Idaho SB 1297 became Session Law Chapter 249 and is codified at Idaho Code Title 48, Chapter 22. Every section is marked effective July 1, 2027, so none of these duties applies today.

Who is covered. A "conversational AI service" is an AI application, web interface or program "that is accessible to the general public and that primarily simulates human conversation and interaction." An operator is a person who makes such a service available to the public. App stores and search engines are not operators solely because they provide access.

Who is not covered. Idaho Code 48-2202 excludes, among others:

• Tools primarily designed and marketed for developers or researchers
• A feature inside a product that is not itself a conversational AI service
• Certain video game chatbots
• Tools that give outputs on a narrow and discrete topic
• Products primarily designed and marketed for commercial use by businesses
• Voice assistants for consumer devices
• Tools a business uses solely for internal purposes
• Services open only to people with a commercial agreement with the operator
• Chatbots used only for customer service, a business's operations, productivity, or analysis of source information, internal research or technical assistance

Duties for all users. Under Idaho Code 48-2203, if reasonable persons would be misled to believe they are interacting with a human, the operator must clearly and conspicuously disclose that the service is AI. The operator must adopt a protocol for prompts about suicidal ideation, including reasonable efforts to refer users to crisis services. It may not knowingly and intentionally program the service to explicitly indicate that it is designed to provide professional mental or behavioral health care.

Duties for minors. A minor is someone the operator has actual knowledge or reasonable certainty is under 18. Under Idaho Code 48-2204, the operator must:

• Disclose AI use to minor account holders by a persistent visible disclaimer, or at the start of each session and at least every three hours of continuous interaction
• Not provide points or similar rewards at unpredictable intervals with the intent to encourage increased engagement
• Take reasonable measures to prevent visual material of sexually explicit conduct, direct statements that the account holder should engage in such conduct, and statements that sexually objectify the account holder
• Take reasonable measures to prevent statements that would lead reasonable persons to believe they are interacting with a human, including claims of sentience, simulated emotional dependence, romantic or sexual innuendos, and adult-minor romantic role-play
• Offer privacy and account setting tools to account holders and, for those under 13, their parents or guardians, plus related tools for parents of older minors as appropriate based on relevant risks

Enforcement. Under Idaho Code 48-2205, a violating operator is subject to an injunction and liable for civil penalties of $1,000 per violation, not to exceed $500,000 per operator, or actual damages, whichever is greater. The attorney general seeks the civil penalties. The chapter creates no private right of action and cannot be used to support one under any other law. It creates no liability for a model developer for a violation by a third-party operator's system.

Generative AI in Idaho Schools (SB 1227)

SB 1227 added Idaho Code Title 33, Chapter 70, effective July 1, 2026. It applies to K-12 public education. Its definition covers models that use machine learning and can generate new content, and leaves out models whose primary goal is classifying data.

• Framework. The State Department of Education must develop a statewide framework, subject to State Board of Education approval, that among other things ensures "no generative artificial intelligence replaces or eliminates a human teacher" (33-7003).
• Local policies. Each school district and public charter school must adopt a policy on generative AI use by students and employees that aligns with the framework (33-7004).
• Standards and parents. The department must develop literacy standards, assessment guidelines and a professional development plan to recommend to the board, plus a guidance document for parents (33-7005, 33-7006).
• Procurement. Tools bought by districts and charter schools must comply with state and federal data privacy laws, and vendors must disclose whether products use machine learning, predictive analytics or generative AI (33-7007).

The chapter sets no deadline for the framework, and the State Board may make rules, subject to legislative approval (33-7008). We did not confirm whether the framework or any rule has been adopted.

Idaho Deepfake, AI Image and Election Laws

Idaho Code 18-6606, from HB 575, makes disclosing explicit synthetic media a misdemeanor on the conditions it lists. It is a felony of up to 10 years, a $25,000 fine, or both when the identifiable person is under 18 or the person was found guilty of a similar violation within five years. The section states no misdemeanor term, so the default in Idaho Code 18-113 of up to six months, up to $1,000, or both applies unless another provision sets a different punishment. HB 727, effective July 1, 2026, revised that penalty; its sponsors' statement of purpose says it makes the conduct a felony when the victim is a minor.

Idaho Code 18-1507C, from HB 465, makes it a felony to knowingly produce, distribute, receive, possess or access a visual depiction, "including a video or image created using generative AI or machine learning," that depicts a child engaging in explicit sexual conduct and is obscene. The penalty is up to five years, a $5,000 fine, or both. The child need not actually exist, and the section has an affirmative defense for a person who received or possessed five or fewer depictions and promptly destroyed or reported them.

Idaho Code 67-6628A, from HB 664 (the Freedom From AI-Rigged (FAIR) Elections Act), lets a candidate deceptively represented by synthetic media in an electioneering communication seek an injunction and damages, with an affirmative defense for clear disclosure. For the details, see our guide to Idaho deepfake laws.

AI Note-Takers and Recording in Idaho

AI meeting assistants raise recording consent questions. Our guide to Idaho AI meeting recording laws covers them.

AI in Idaho State Government

These are agency guidelines and policies for government staff. They are not statutes and do not regulate private companies.

• Office of Administrative Hearings. Guidelines dated September 24, 2025 say administrative law judges are not permitted to use AI to write orders or decisions, for legal research in case proceedings, or for analysis of evidence or party submissions. Judges may request disclosure statements from parties about AI use.
• Idaho Information Technology Services. An AI governance policy, standard and guideline, Version 1.0, August 2025, applies to the use of AI tools by state personnel, contractors and affiliates conducting state business.

Separately, Idaho Code 5-346 says artificial intelligence "shall not be granted personhood in the state of Idaho."

Idaho v. OpenAI: The Attorney General's ChatGPT Suit

Attorneys general in Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia announced separate suits against OpenAI on October 14, 2026. Official releases from several of those states also name Kansas.

Attorney General Labrador's release says the action was filed in the Fourth Judicial District Court, Ada County, and alleges harm to Idaho children, deception of parents, and violations of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. Those are allegations. It is a consumer protection case, not an action under the chatbot act, which is not yet in effect. This page describes the release; we did not read the complaint or check the docket.

What We Did Not Find in Idaho Law

In the search described at the top of this page, through November 4, 2026, we found no Idaho statute on AI in employment decisions or health care, no algorithmic pricing law, and no frontier model law. Federal and general state laws may still apply to those uses.

Idaho is not on the NAIC's list of states acting on its AI model bulletin for insurers as we read it on November 4, 2026. That list may lag, and we did not search the Idaho Department of Insurance's own bulletins. Web searches found no AI executive order from the governor, and they would not show every order.

Idaho AI Bills That Did Not Pass

Federal AI Policy and Idaho

As of November 4, 2026, we found no federal statute in the public laws of the 119th Congress that sets general rules for private AI systems or generally preempts state AI laws. In December 2025, Executive Order 14365 directed federal agencies to challenge or discourage state AI laws the administration views as conflicting with national policy, and called for a federal framework from Congress. The order itself does not declare any state law invalid. The Justice Department formed an AI Litigation Task Force in January 2026, the White House issued legislative recommendations in March 2026, and the FTC proposed a policy statement in July 2026. Separately, in April 2026 the Justice Department intervened in a lawsuit against Colorado's AI law under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We did not find a published Commerce evaluation of state laws in the Federal Register or on ntia.gov, or a BEAD notice carrying the order's AI condition on NTIA's sites. See our pages on the Trump AI executive orders and state AI law preemption.

What Changes in Idaho AI Law in 2027

• July 1, 2027: the Conversational AI Safety Act takes effect, per the SB 1297 bill page and the code chapter heading.
• No stated date: the school framework, local policies and any State Board rules under SB 1227 have no deadline in the chapter.

As of November 4, 2026, we found no other AI law scheduled to take effect in Idaho in 2027, and no pending AI bill for 2027; we searched the channels listed at the top of this page.

More Idaho Laws

• Idaho Recording Laws
• Idaho Data Privacy Laws
• Idaho Background Check Laws
• Idaho Surveillance Camera Laws
• Idaho Sexting Laws
• Idaho Whistleblower Laws
• Idaho Deepfake Laws
• Idaho AI Meeting Recording Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Idaho have an AI law?

Yes, targeted ones. As of November 2026, Idaho has a generative AI in schools chapter (SB 1227), in force since July 1, 2026; a chatbot law, the Conversational AI Safety Act (SB 1297), which takes effect July 1, 2027; and 2024 laws on explicit synthetic media, AI-made child sexual abuse material and election synthetic media. In our search, it has no comprehensive AI act.

When does Idaho's chatbot law take effect?

July 1, 2027. The Conversational AI Safety Act was signed March 31, 2026 as Session Law Chapter 249 and is codified at Idaho Code Title 48, Chapter 22. Its duties do not apply before that date.

Do Idaho chatbots have to say they are AI?

Not yet under the Conversational AI Safety Act. From July 1, 2027, a covered operator must disclose that its service is AI if reasonable people would be misled to believe they are interacting with a human, with added disclosure duties for minor account holders. Business, customer service, internal and voice assistant tools, among others, are excluded.

Who enforces Idaho's Conversational AI Safety Act?

The attorney general seeks its civil penalties of $1,000 per violation, capped at $500,000 per operator, or actual damages if greater. The act creates no private right of action.

Are AI deepfakes illegal in Idaho?

Some are. Idaho Code 18-6606 makes it a crime to knowingly disclose explicit synthetic media of an identifiable person on the conditions the statute lists, or to possess it and threaten disclosure to obtain money or other valuable consideration. Election synthetic media can lead to a civil suit by a candidate under Idaho Code 67-6628A. Neither is a general ban on deepfakes.

Is AI-generated child sexual abuse material illegal in Idaho?

Idaho Code 18-1507C makes it a felony to knowingly produce, distribute, receive, possess or access a visual depiction, including one created using generative AI or machine learning, that depicts a child engaging in explicit sexual conduct and is obscene. The child need not actually exist. The section has an affirmative defense for a person who received or possessed five or fewer depictions and promptly destroyed or reported them.

Does Idaho regulate AI in hiring or health care?

We found no Idaho statute on either as of November 4, 2026, in a text search of our August 1, 2026 copy of the Idaho Code and the 2026 bill status report. A 2026 AI medical services bill, HB 945, shows no enactment. Federal and general state laws may still apply.

Is Idaho suing OpenAI?

Yes. Attorney General Labrador announced a suit on October 14, 2026, filed in the Fourth Judicial District Court, Ada County, under the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. The state's claims are allegations, and the suit is not under the chatbot act, which is not yet in effect.