Tennessee Bans AI From Impersonating Mental Health Professionals

Tennessee has enacted a law banning AI from advertising or acting as qualified mental health professionals.

Tennessee has enacted Senate Bill 1580, making it unlawful for any developer or deployer to advertise or represent an AI system as a qualified mental health professional. The law, now codified as Public Chapter Number 647, takes effect July 1, 2026.

• Violations are deemed unfair or deceptive acts under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977, carrying civil penalties of $5,000 per violation.
• SB 1580 amends Titles 33, 47, and 63 of Tennessee law, addressing mental health, commerce, and professions.
• The bill’s language clarifies: "A person who develops or deploys an artificial intelligence system shall not advertise or represent to the public that such system is or is able to act as a qualified mental health professional."

The measure passed both the Senate (32-0) and the House (94-0) without opposition, underscoring a bipartisan consensus to protect consumers from misleading AI systems in mental health care.

Tennessee joins Illinois, Nevada, and Utah in enacting laws to scrutinize AI’s use in therapeutic and counseling roles.

Nicol Turner Lee, Brookings Institution: "We've seen decades of regression when it comes to investments in mental health and youth." Advocates say robust guardrails on AI are a necessary complement to service investments.