Illinois has enacted the nation’s first statewide prohibition on artificial-intelligence systems providing psychotherapy services. Governor JB Pritzker on 1 August signed the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act (HB 1806), which bars AI chatbots or other tools from acting as stand-alone therapists or making clinical decisions without human oversight. The statute, introduced by Democratic Representative Bob Morgan and passed unanimously in both chambers, permits licensed mental-health professionals to employ AI for administrative functions such as scheduling and billing but not for patient interaction. Violations carry penalties of up to $10,000 per offense, to be enforced by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Supporters said the measure responds to reports of AI chatbots dispensing harmful advice and aims to ensure that mental-health care remains in the hands of trained clinicians. The move positions Illinois at the forefront of state-level AI regulation even as the Trump administration’s recently announced AI Action Plan urges a moratorium on new state rules.