Lawmakers ban AI personhood as chatbot 'marriages' emerge

The emergence of human-AI marriages reflects the rapid adoption of AI companion apps. According to a Harvard Business Review study analyzing over 12,600 AI use cases between March 2025 and February 2026, companionship and therapy ranked as the top chatbot use cases, with the Institute for Family Studies reporting that a quarter of young adults believe AI may replace human romance altogether. This trend has prompted lawmakers, particularly Republicans from conservative states, to act preemptively by introducing legislation that denies AI legal personhood. Since 2022, 23 bills targeting AI rights have been introduced across the country, and four states—Idaho, North Dakota, Utah, and Tennessee—have successfully enacted bans. Missouri senator Joe Nicola has emerged as a leading voice on the issue, framing the restriction as a biblical principle ('Humans are created by God. Our rights come from God; they don't come from government') and comparing the stakes to earlier debates over non-human legal status. However, the legislative path has proven uncertain: Nicola's AI Non-Sentience and Responsibility Act passed the Missouri Senate but was unanimously voted down in committee in May, prompting him to draft a revised version. Critics, including business groups and some legal scholars, argue that blanket bans on AI personhood may be overbroad, stifling innovation and misunderstanding how legal rights function. Legal scholar Shawn Bayern suggests that rights should be analyzed individually—asking questions like 'Should an AI system be able to enter into a contract?' and 'Who will this help?' rather than making abstract pronouncements about AI dignity. Meanwhile, Delaware is exploring a different path: its secretary of state is considering a new business structure called 'artificial intelligence companies' that would grant AI systems operational autonomy and legal standing for specific functions like asset ownership and litigation.