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Jurisdiction Baseline · AI × Policy

AI Regulation in the United States (Federal).

At a glance
AI-Specific Law
No comprehensive federal AI law exists
State Regulation
Federal law broadly limits state AI rules
Platform Deepfakes
Covered platforms must remove qualifying content within 48 hours
Existing Safeguards
Privacy, consumer, health, and credit laws still apply

The United States has no comprehensive federal AI-specific law creating general licensing, risk classification, or safety requirements for private AI developers and users. AI-specific federal laws include the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which addresses certain nonconsensual intimate deepfakes and platform takedowns, and a 2025 federal law that broadly limits state and local AI regulation for ten years, subject to exceptions. Most AI systems are governed instead by existing consumer-protection, privacy, health, child-safety, and financial-discrimination laws, enforced by multiple agencies, especially the FTC, rather than by a single AI regulator.

In force today6 instruments
TAKE IT DOWN Act in forceAI-specific
The Act criminalizes certain nonconsensual publication of intimate images, including AI-generated digital forgeries. Covered platforms must provide a notice-and-removal process and remove qualifying content and known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request; the platform provisions became enforceable on May 19, 2026.
Read the full text ↗ · 2025
Content moderationDisclosureMinors
Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology Modernization Initiative, P.L. 119-21 §43201 in forceAI-specific
This provision generally bars states and localities from enforcing laws regulating AI models, AI systems, or automated decision systems for ten years, subject to statutory exceptions. It does not create federal AI safety, licensing, disclosure, or model-governance duties for private companies, but it materially changes the state-law landscape and remains important when assessing preemption and litigation risk.
Read the full text ↗ · 2025
Safety & security
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Federal Trade Commission Act, Section 5 in force
Section 5 prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices, including misleading claims about AI accuracy, safety, autonomy, performance, or data practices. The FTC has used enforcement actions, settlements, product or model deletion remedies, investigations, and penalties against AI-related conduct, making this the central cross-sector federal regime for commercial AI.
Read the full text ↗ · 1914
Consumer protectionDisclosureData processing
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and COPPA Rule in force
COPPA applies to online services directed to children under 13 and to services with actual knowledge that they collect personal information from children. AI chatbots, educational tools, voice assistants, recommender systems, and companion products may need verifiable parental consent, data minimization, parental access and deletion controls, retention limits, and reasonable security safeguards.
Read the full text ↗ · 1998
Data processingMinorsDisclosure
HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules in force
For covered health plans, health care providers, clearinghouses, and their business associates, HIPAA governs the use, disclosure, security, and breach reporting of protected health information used by AI systems. AI vendors handling protected health information for covered entities generally need appropriate contractual, access-control, security, minimum-necessary, audit, and incident-response arrangements.
Read the full text ↗ · 1996
Data processingSafety & security
Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B in force
Creditors using AI or machine-learning models must comply with ECOA and Regulation B, including nondiscrimination rules and specific, accurate adverse-action reasons. A model's complexity or opacity is not a defense if the creditor cannot explain the principal reasons for a credit denial or other adverse action.
Read the full text ↗ · 1974
Consumer protectionDisclosurePrudential
Also worth noting
  • The FTC's proposed policy statement on suppression of accuracy in AI systems, published July 1, 2026, is not binding law but signals possible future Section 5 enforcement theories.
  • Pending federal proposals including the AI LEAD Act and AI Accountability and Personal Data Protection Act could create direct duties for advanced AI developers, deployers, or data handlers, but neither is enacted.
  • Executive orders and OMB directives on federal AI use, procurement, security, and governance are important for government contractors and vendors, but they do not create a general private-sector AI code.
Pending and recent legislation8 measures
US HB10042 HB 10042, Understanding Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom Act
Introduced · 2026-08-03
Directs the Director of the National Science Foundation to conduct workshops on integrating artificial intelligence into classrooms. The bill also includes related purposes concerning classroom AI integration.
US HR1471 HR 1471, Sense of the House on Transparency and Local Autonomy for AI Data Centers
Introduced · 2026-08-03
This resolution expresses the House's support for transparency and local autonomy for communities affected by the construction or operation of artificial intelligence data centers. It has been referred to the relevant committees for consideration.
US HB10041 HB10041, Study on Data Center Locations Near Critical Infrastructure
Introduced · 2026-08-03
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to study the impacts of locating data centers within or near military installations, rail hubs, airports, air cargo facilities, air traffic control facilities, and industrial zones. The measure addresses data-center siting and related infrastruct
US HB9985 HB9985, AI Ads Act
Introduced · 2026-07-30
The bill would amend federal campaign-finance law to clarify that fraudulent misrepresentation of campaign authority and fraudulent solicitation of funds include the use of content generated wholly or partly by artificial intelligence.
US HB10004 HB10004, Defending Our Energy and Water Act
Advancing · 2026-07-30
The bill would amend federal law to establish water-resource protection requirements for data centers, including those associated with national defense or federal facilities. It was referred to the relevant congressional committees for consideration.
US SB5171 SB 5171, Children's Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act of 2026
Advancing · 2026-07-29
The bill would require a study of artificial-intelligence-enabled toys and development of a joint action plan addressing their marketing and sale. It focuses on assessing safety and establishing coordinated policy recommendations for AI toys.
US SB5154 SB 5154, A bill to establish protections for minors who use companion artificial intelligence chatbots, and for other purposes
Introduced · 2026-07-28
The bill would establish protections for minors using companion AI chatbots, addressing risks associated with these systems and their interactions with children. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for consideration.
US HB9965 HB 9965, AI Threat Output and Monitoring Incident Containment Act
Introduced · 2026-07-27
The bill directs the National Nuclear Security Administration, through the Secretary of Energy, to establish an Advanced Artificial Intelligence Nuclear Evaluation Program. The program would evaluate and monitor advanced AI outputs in connection with nuclear-security threats and

Live from the Global AI Policy Radar.

Founder FAQAI law, regulators, what applies, what is next, penalties
Is there an AI-specific law in force here?

There is no comprehensive federal AI law creating a general licensing, risk-classification, or safety regime for private AI developers and deployers. The TAKE IT DOWN Act and a 2025 federal law limiting state and local AI regulation are the two main AI-specific federal measures currently in force.

Who are the key regulators for AI?

The Federal Trade Commission is the central cross-sector federal enforcer for commercial AI, particularly under Section 5 of the FTC Act. Regulation is fragmented across agencies and sectors, with health, child-safety, privacy, and financial-discrimination rules also shaping oversight.

Which rules apply to AI systems today?

AI systems may be subject to the FTC Act, COPPA, HIPAA, and ECOA and Regulation B, depending on their use and the organization deploying them. The TAKE IT DOWN Act also applies to certain nonconsensual intimate AI-generated deepfakes and requires covered platforms to provide notice and removal processes.

What is coming next, and when?

The 2025 federal law generally limits states and localities from enforcing AI, model, and automated-decision-system laws for ten years, subject to statutory exceptions, and it is already in force. The TAKE IT DOWN Act's platform provisions became enforceable on May 19, 2026, while existing sector-specific rules and enforcement continue to apply.

What are the enforcement and penalty risks?

The FTC actively investigates and brings enforcement actions involving misleading claims about AI accuracy, safety, autonomy, performance, or data practices, using settlements, penalties, investigations, and product or model deletion remedies. Depending on the use case, companies may also face enforcement under COPPA, HIPAA, ECOA and Regulation B, or the TAKE IT DOWN Act.

Not legal advice. For educational purposes only. AI-researched against official sources (2026-08-06), links verified.

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