States are taking the lead in regulating AI, even as Congress begins to debate a bipartisan frontier AI law and the Trump administration pursues a deregulatory agenda seeking to curb state AI lawmaking through an executive order (EO).
This year is set to break previous records, with more than 1,500 AI bills under consideration in statehouses, many of which are nearing or have crossed the finish line. These laws add to a chorus of state lawmaking, which included 150 AI-related bills that passed into law in 2025, according to a Stanford University report.
Congress’s latest foray into AI regulation would, if passed, build on the framework emerging at the state level. Released on June 4, 2026, by Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-California) and Lori Trahan (D-Massachusetts), the Great American AI Act of 2026 would nationalize the frontier-model governance approach emerging in several states. While the bill would preempt certain state laws that regulate AI development for a three-year period,
