Experts' recommendations due under Newsom's frontier-AI executive order
Recommendations, including a possible emergency-shutoff duty, are due within two months of the 2026-09-18 order (exact day not confirmed).
Coming up
The next deadlines.
Days until new rules start to apply, soonest first.
EO 14434: proposed legal definition of 'Super Intelligence' due
The President's science adviser must submit proposed legislative language within 60 days of 2026-09-29 (date computed by us).
AI Act Article 50(2) machine-readable marking for systems already on the market; end of transition for new 'nudifier' ban
Under the omnibus deal, systems placed on the market before 2026-08-02 have until this date to mark AI-generated content; the new ban on AI that generates non-consensual intimate images or CSAM has a transition to this date. The omnibus entered into force on 2026-07-27.
Colorado SB 26-189 (automated decision-making law) takes effect
Notice, explanation and record-keeping duties begin; the attorney general must issue rules by this date.
California Privacy Protection Agency rules on AI in employment decisions take effect
Employers using AI for hiring and other employment decisions must give pre-use notices, offer opt-outs and do risk assessments.
California SB 867: ban on toys with companion chatbots begins (to 2031-01-01)
Five-year ban on selling toys for under-16s that include a companion chatbot.
Second UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, New York (3-4 May 2027)
Next session, informed by the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI's annual report.
California SB 947 'No Robo Bosses Act' and SB 1119 'Adam's Law' take effect
Human review required before AI-driven firing or discipline; new child-safety duties for companion chatbots.
AI Act: deadline for national AI regulatory sandboxes (moved by omnibus deal)
Sandbox set-up deadline moves to this date under the omnibus (Gibson Dunn summary of the agreed text).
AI Act: stand-alone high-risk (Annex III) obligations apply (was 2026-08-02)
High-risk AI in areas such as biometrics, education, employment and migration must meet the Act's requirements.
European Commission, AI Act page (Shaping Europe's digital future)
AI Act: high-risk AI in regulated products (Annex I) obligations apply (was 2027-08-02)
AI embedded in products covered by EU product-safety law must comply.
European Commission, AI Act page (Shaping Europe's digital future)
California SB 1119: independent child-safety audits of companion chatbots begin
Audit requirements of Adam's Law start.
By place
Pick a place.
Each page has the full timeline for that place, with every source.
38 entries · 1 coming up
United States
Executive orders, agency rules, court rulings and the few laws Congress has passed.
Latest: FTC opens probe into OpenAI, Anthropic and METR (Sep 30, 2026)
Open16 entries · 6 coming upUS states
California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Utah and New York, where most binding US AI law is being written.
Latest: California SB 947 'No Robo Bosses Act' and other AI workplace laws signed (Sep 30, 2026)
Open9 entries · 4 coming upEuropean Union
The AI Act, the first broad AI law, coming into force in stages, and the changes made to it.
Latest: AI Act becomes generally applicable; AI Office enforcement over GPAI models begins (Aug 2, 2026)
Open5 entries · 0 coming upUnited Kingdom
No AI law yet: regulators, a renamed safety institute, copyright and a landmark court case.
Latest: DSIT publishes report and impact assessment on use of copyright works in AI development (Mar 19, 2026)
Open7 entries · 0 coming upChina
Some of the earliest binding rules: deepfakes, generative AI services and labelling AI content.
Latest: AI content labelling measures take effect (Sep 1, 2025)
Open4 entries · 0 coming upJapan and South Korea
Two national AI laws, one built around promotion and one around basic safeguards.
Latest: South Korea's AI Framework Act takes effect (Jan 22, 2026)
Open5 entries · 1 coming upInternational
Summits, the UN and the Council of Europe's treaty: agreements between countries.
Latest: First UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance held in Geneva (6-7 July 2026) (Jul 6, 2026)
OpenLatest
The newest moves.
The ten most recent entries, from every place.
Start with the US- In forceEnforcementUnited States (federal)
FTC opens probe into OpenAI, Anthropic and METR
An FTC official confirmed an investigation into potential dangers of the companies' AI; civil investigative demands were planned in the following weeks.
Semafor, Sep 30, 2026
- PassedLawCalifornia
California SB 947 'No Robo Bosses Act' and other AI workplace laws signed
Employers may not fire or discipline based solely on an automated decision system (effective 2027-07-01); SB 951 adds AI-layoff notices; AB 1883 bars emotion-recognition and neural-data surveillance; AB 1979 keeps AI advisory in health care. AB 2656 and AB 2575 were vetoed.
“Nobody wants to be fired by a machine.”
KQED, Oct 1, 2026
- In forceOrderUnited States (federal)
Executive Order 14434: Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence
Tells agencies to say 'Super Intelligence' (SI) instead of 'AI' in official documents and gives the President's science adviser 60 days to propose a legal definition.
“the executive branch shall use the terms “Super Intelligence” and “SI” in place of “Artificial Intelligence” and “AI””
Federal Register, 91 FR 63129, Oct 2, 2026
- PassedOrderUnited States (federal)
White House accord on frontier model safety with AI company leaders
Voluntary accord signed by Trump and leaders of Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Nvidia, describing internal controls, external auditors and an independent oversight committee.
“robust internal processes and controls to ensure that their technology behaves as intended.”
Defense One, Sep 29, 2026
- In forceCourtUnited States (federal)
Third Circuit affirms Thomson Reuters v. Ross: copying headnotes to train AI was not fair use
Precedential appeals ruling that Westlaw headnotes are protected and that Ross's use to train its legal AI was not fair use, noting a market for licensing training data.
“Unlike necessity, ease is not a justification for copying.” Court's words as quoted by Haynes Boone; we did not read the opinion itself.
Haynes Boone (law firm alert), Oct 2, 2026
- In forceCourtUnited States (federal)
D.C. Circuit lets Pentagon label Anthropic a 'supply chain risk'
A 2-1 appeals panel rejected Anthropic's challenge, so the Defense Department can keep removing Claude from its systems and contractors' defense work.
“on what Anthropic does, not why Anthropic does it.”
Associated Press (via CP24), Sep 25, 2026
- In forceOrderCalifornia
Newsom executive order on frontier AI safety, including a possible 'kill switch'
Speeds implementation of SB 813 and AB 1405 (AI evaluator and auditor laws) and convenes experts to recommend further safeguards, such as an emergency shutoff duty for frontier developers, within two months.
“the stakes are too high to wait or delay action”
Spectrum News 1, Sep 18, 2026
- PassedLawCalifornia
California SB 1119 ('Adam's Law') and SB 867 signed
SB 1119 adds child risk assessments, independent child-safety audits and age verification to the companion-chatbot law (effective 2027-07-01); SB 867 bans toys with companion chatbots from 2027 to 2031.
Tech Policy Press, Sep 2026
- In forceDeadlineEuropean Union
AI Act becomes generally applicable; AI Office enforcement over GPAI models begins
Transparency rules apply, and the AI Office can request documentation, evaluate GPAI models, order fixes and impose fines.
“The AI Act entered into force on 1 August 2024 and became applicable on 2 August 2026”
European Commission, AI Act page (Shaping Europe's digital future), Oct 19, 2026
- In forceLawEuropean Union
AI omnibus amendments enter into force
Delays stand-alone high-risk rules to 2027-12-02 and product-embedded high-risk rules to 2028-08-02, and adds a ban on AI generating non-consensual sexual content and CSAM from December 2026.
European Commission, AI Act page (Shaping Europe's digital future), Oct 19, 2026
US states
38 states in one year.
“Thirty-eight states adopted or enacted around 100 measures this year.”
That is the National Conference of State Legislatures' count for the 2025 sessions, when every state introduced AI bills. It counts one year's measures, not every state with an AI law. We couldn't load its 2026 figures yet.
NCSL, Artificial Intelligence 2025 Legislation, Jul 10, 2025
Everything here was read at its source on Oct 19, 2026. Some entries rely on law-firm summaries or news reports where we couldn't load the court or legislature page; each names its source. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Watch
Videos on rules and regulation.
Talks, interviews and explainers, each with our short summary. They play in YouTube's own player.
All videos on rules and regulationCBS News · Sep 10, 2025
Senate holds hearing on White House's AI Action Plan | full video
White House science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios testifies before the Senate Commerce Committee about the Trump administration's AI Action Plan.
CNBC Television · May 8, 2025OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies on AI competition before Senate committee — 5/8/2025
The Senate Commerce Committee hears from Sam Altman of OpenAI, Lisa Su of AMD, Michael Intrator of CoreWeave and Brad Smith of Microsoft on strengthening US computing and innovation in the AI race.
Center for Strategic & International Studies · Apr 2, 2025Mapping Chinese AI Regulation with Matt Sheehan
Carnegie Endowment fellow Matt Sheehan explains how China's AI policymaking has developed over the past decade, which institutions shape it today, and how China's attitude to AI safety has changed.