Talkspace CEO Jon R. Cohen addressed Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal in Albany to restrict AI chatbot features for minors. In an interview on Spectrum’s Capital Tonight, he highlighted the importance of monitoring how teenagers seek help online and emphasized the need to balance safety considerations with access to licensed mental health services.
What Hochul Is Proposing
Hochul’s package would expand age-verification rules, set kids’ privacy settings to the strictest defaults, allow parents to limit children’s financial transactions and “disable certain AI chatbot features” on platforms used by minors, according to Governor’s office. The plan also calls for a statewide rollout of Teen Mental Health First Aid training so more students learn how to spot and respond to classmates who may be in crisis.
Talkspace, Teenspace And The City Contract
Talkspace powers NYC Teenspace, a free virtual therapy program for New York City students ages 13-17 that the city and company say will connect teens with licensed clinicians quickly. NYC Health and Talkspace materials lay out how the service works and how teens can sign up. Reporting at the time of launch noted a roughly $26 million, multi-year city contract designed to reach hundreds of thousands of students, and FierceHealthcare detailed those contract terms and the program’s overall scale.
What Cohen Told Capital Tonight
Spectrum News reports that Cohen used his Capital Tonight appearance to walk through Hochul’s proposals and to “share advice for parents of teenagers who are searching the web for mental health assistance,” framing the governor’s measures as part of a broader effort to keep children safer online. Spectrum noted that Cohen also brings experience running a large teen program, as Talkspace navigates questions about where AI tools can actually support care and where they might do more harm than good.
How Parents Can Find Safer Options
Experts and programs cited by Talkspace urge families to prioritize licensed clinicians and city-backed options like NYC Teenspace when a teenager needs support. That means looking for credentialed providers, clear crisis protocols and transparent consent processes. For New York parents, the city’s Teenspace page explains who is eligible and how parental consent works, while Hochul’s proposal would add training and statewide supports to help teens and their peers recognize warning signs. Talkspace’s Teenspace site and the city health page offer starting points for families who want immediate, vetted help instead of anonymous chatbot advice.
The upcoming discussion in Albany will center on regulating potentially risky chatbot features while maintaining access to legitimate digital services. Cohen’s comments highlight that providers and policymakers are actively addressing this issue. Lawmakers and the governor’s office are expected to advance any related legislation this year, while parents are being directed toward verified, licensed mental health resources as regulations develop.
