Advocates from the region have played a major role in the national conversation about advancements in technology over the past year.
Landmark policy and legislation moved forward to regulate and monitor social platforms and artificial intelligence. While some bills have moved forward and are slated to make a big impact, other efforts have stalled. Much of the conversation surrounding policies has been focused on appropriate legislation, but not everyone can agree on what that looks like.
While some want to put more restrictions, others are hesitant to pass laws because they don't want to stifle innovation. Legislation can vary from state to state and policies can even vary from districts within the same state. In Connecticut, legislation exists to fund AI workforce training, but no heavy restrictions on AI development. Some school districts have rolled out entire AI curricula, while others have focused efforts on implementing cell phone bans in schools.
Efforts to protect minors on social media are ongoing as bills and lawsuits move forward in both Connecticut and New York. Advocates, parents and legislators have been outspoken about the need for more accountability from social media companies, specifically to establish better safeguards for minors on social platforms
In Connecticut, it is now a crime to disseminate “synthetically created” revenge porn. Lawmakers wanted to address generative-AI revenge porn deepfakes by criminalizing the creation and sharing of images without the person’s consent. A new data privacy law passed seeks to strengthen the state’s consumer protection laws. It regulates junk fees and price gouging. Looking into how to prevent companies from setting ticket prices based on connected devices.
New York and Connecticut are among several states that have been outspoken about their desire to regulate AI Chatbots, especially when interacting with children and teenagers. Several people have spoken out about the emotional impact that chatbots have. They are reportedly designed to simulate human relationships, such as friends or romantic partners. Parents have reported that chatbots had exposed their children to sexual and suicide-related content, with some reported incidents of children who died by suicide.
In New York, a new law requires companies to implement strict safety measures around artificial intelligence chatbots. Legislators in Connecticut have also discussed the potential harms of AI chatbots for children. There have been bipartisan efforts from several states seeking to regulate interactions even further, going as far as banning them. Legislators introduced the GUARD Act, which would require age verification for users. It would also require a disclosure that explicitly told users the conversation they’re having is not with a human.
At the national level, there have been repeated attempts to establish a federal ban on AI legislation. However, that idea has been met with considerable pushback. Earlier this year, a provision was proposed to be added to the federal tax and budget bill. It was removed before the bill passed.
But it suggested a 10-year moratorium on state and local AI regulation. This would essentially mean that states couldn't pass laws regulating AI in any way for 10 years. Legislators on both sides of the aisle were strongly opposed.
In the past few weeks, a similar provision was suggested to the National Defense Bill that Congress is hoping to pass before the end of the year. Once again, it was met with strong opposition and subsequently removed. President Donald Trump also released an executive order in December that would direct federal agencies to identify state AI regulations, threatening to withhold federal funding or challenge specific state laws in court.
