AI regulation in the United States
The US has no federal AI law: state laws (Colorado, California, Texas, Illinois…), sector agencies and the voluntary NIST framework apply.
The United States has no federal AI law equivalent to the AI Act. Regulation comes through three channels: state laws, federal agencies applying existing rules (the FTC against deceptive practices, the EEOC in employment, financial regulators…) and voluntary frameworks such as the NIST AI RMF.
Notable state laws include Colorado, which in 2026 replaced its 2024 law with a narrower notice-focused framework applying from 1 January 2027; California, with SB 53 on transparency for frontier models, in force since January 2026; and laws in Texas and Illinois (the latter on AI in employment decisions).
For a European company selling in the US, the practical approach is to comply with the AI Act, document using NIST vocabulary, and review the laws of the states where it operates.
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Reference: Leyes estatales; NIST AI RMF
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← Back to the glossaryUpdated: October 2026 · Informational content, not legal advice.