AI regulation is accelerating globally. The EU AI Act gets the most attention, but US state laws, sector-specific guidance, and international frameworks are creating a patchwork of compliance requirements that enterprises must navigate.
There is no comprehensive federal AI law as of early 2026. Instead, regulation comes through executive orders, agency guidance, and enforcement of existing laws.
Source
What It Does
Status
Executive Order 14110 (Oct 2023)
Directs agencies to develop AI safety standards, requires reporting for large model training runs
Active — implementation ongoing
NIST AI RMF
Voluntary risk management framework
Active — widely adopted
FTC enforcement
Using existing consumer protection authority against deceptive AI practices
Active — multiple enforcement actions
EEOC guidance
AI in hiring must comply with Title VII anti-discrimination
Active
CFPB guidance
AI in lending must comply with fair lending laws, adverse action notices
Active
SEC guidance
Broker-dealers can't use AI to place firm interests ahead of investors
Even without a federal law, US companies face regulatory risk from: existing anti-discrimination laws applied to AI (EEOC, CFPB), state-specific AI laws (Colorado is the most comprehensive), and sector-specific regulator guidance (SEC, FDA, FINRA).
Baseline to the strictest applicable standard — if you operate in the EU, the AI Act is your floor
Map state-specific requirements — Colorado and NYC have specific obligations
Sector-specific overlay — add FINRA, FDA, or other sector requirements on top
Monitor actively — AI regulation is moving fast. Assign someone to track changes quarterly
Build for transparency — almost every regulation requires some form of AI disclosure, documentation, or explainability. Building these capabilities once covers most frameworks