In the absence of major federal legislation or policy, states such as Colorado are stepping forward to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), a technology that increasingly influences various aspects of modern life. On May 17, 2024, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 24-205 into law, marking the state as the first to pass a comprehensive statute focused on algorithmic discrimination in AI applications.
The new law comes at a time when calls for federal AI regulation are growing louder. The White House’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights underscores the dual nature of AI technology: its benefits and its concerns, specifically algorithmic discrimination, which is the unfair treatment of individuals based on automated systems analyzing race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, and other protected characteristics (White House Blueprint).
State lawmakers in Colorado collaborated with a broad coalition—including tech companies, civil rights groups, and academics—to devise a robust set of rules, effective on February 1, 2026. Despite the concerted effort, the need for unified federal AI regulation is evident. In 2023 alone, 633 AI-related bills were introduced across 45 states and 111 in Congress, with only Colorado’s legislation addressing AI in a holistic manner (Colorado AI Bill).
Other states have passed laws targeting specific AI applications. For instance, 16 states regulate deepfake political ads and 20 states focus on deepfake sexual content. New York City and Illinois address AI in labor and employment contexts, while Tennessee has enacted legislation to protect digital representations of performers (AI Laws in States).
Federally, the most active agency in AI regulation remains the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which recently initiated its first enforcement action regarding facial recognition technology and has issued inquiries to generative AI companies (FTC inquiry).
Gov. Polis framed the Colorado AI Act as an urgent plea to federal lawmakers, emphasizing the need for a consistent nationwide approach to AI regulation. He highlighted that a patchwork of state laws could hinder innovation, investment, and compliance, stressing that comprehensive AI governance can only be effectively undertaken at the federal level (Polis’s Statement).
In an international context, the EU recently adopted the EU AI Act, the world’s first legal framework for AI, establishing a centralized office to aid compliance across member states. This global precedent further underscores the urgency for the US to enact cohesive federal legislation, leveraging Colorado’s model of collaboration as a potential guide (EU AI Act).
For further reading on the Colorado AI Act and federal AI regulation, visit Bloomberg Law.