There is no comprehensive federal AI statute. Federal policy runs through executive orders and existing agency authority. The current administration's stance is deregulatory and centralizing: it revoked the prior administration's AI-safety order, issued an AI Action Plan in July 2025, and in December 2025 signed Executive Order 14365, which seeks to discourage and challenge state AI laws and to build toward a single federal framework that would preempt them. Agencies rely on the FTC Act, sector rules, and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework rather than a dedicated law.
With Congress silent, the states are writing the rules. Eleven are on the tracker, and they do not agree with each other: comprehensive frameworks, single-issue statutes, a statutory right to compute, and one veto. The full comparison, sortable and filterable, lives in the state tracker.
CaliforniaJan 1, 2026Partially in force
ColoradoJan 1, 2027Repealed / replaced
Connecticut2026 (narrow measures)Partially in force
IllinoisJan 1, 2026In force
Montana2025In force
New YorkJan 1, 2027Partially in force
TennesseeJul 1, 2024In force
TexasJan 1, 2026In force
UtahMay 1, 2024In force
VirginiaNo law in forceLapsed / failed
WashingtonMar 31, 2024Partially in forceRevoked the Biden administration's 2023 AI executive order and directed agencies to remove regulatory barriers to AI development and adoption.
A whole-of-government plan directing agencies to remove barriers to AI, expand federal AI use, and treat AI leadership as a national priority.
Directs the Attorney General to run an AI Litigation Task Force challenging state AI laws, tells Commerce to identify 'onerous' state laws, conditions some federal funding on state compliance, and asks the FTC and FCC to act. Carves out state laws on child safety, data-center infrastructure, and government procurement from the preemption effort.
The de facto US technical baseline. Voluntary, but referenced by state laws (Texas TRAIGA makes NIST alignment an affirmative defense) and by federal contracting expectations.
Federal action is directed at agencies and at the federal-state relationship, not at private conduct through a single statute. Companies are governed mainly by state law plus generally applicable federal rules (FTC deception authority, sector regulators, civil-rights law).
No AI-specific federal penalties. Exposure runs through the FTC Act, sector regulators, and civil-rights and consumer-protection statutes. 'AI washing' (overstating what a system does) is an active FTC enforcement theme.
Analysis of Executive Order 14365 concludes the order cannot preempt state AI law on its own, since preemption generally flows from Congress. The FTC policy statement and Commerce evaluation of state laws were due this week, but courts will decide whether any of it actually displaces state rules.
The order creates a DOJ AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state AI laws, directs Commerce to flag 'onerous' laws, and conditions some federal funding on state compliance. It names Colorado's AI Act as an example and carves out state laws on child safety, data centers, and government procurement.
Artificial Intelligence Regulations, "AI Regulation in United States," reviewed July 15, 2026, https://artificialintelligenceregulations.com/jurisdictions/united-states-federal.html.
Entries state the position as of the review date and link to the primary text for verification.