San Francisco Ordinance 103-19 was the first law in the United States to ban city government agencies from using facial recognition technology. The ordinance prohibits all city departments, including the police, from acquiring or using facial recognition or surveillance technology without prior board approval. It estab…

Common questions about AI laws and your rights

Colorado, Illinois, and California have the most active AI worker protection and algorithmic decision-making laws. At the federal level, enforcement primarily flows through existing FTC, EEOC, and CFPB authority rather than AI-specific statutes.

▸ Does the US have a federal AI law?

The United States does not have a comprehensive federal AI law as of mid-2026. The US approach has been sector-specific guidance, executive orders, and voluntary commitments rather than binding legislation — unlike the EU, which enacted the AI Act. Individual states including Colorado, California, Illinois, and Texas have passed or are actively advancing their own AI laws, creating a patchwork of rules that vary significantly by jurisdiction and industry.

▸ What penalties do companies face for violating AI laws?

Penalties for AI law violations vary widely by jurisdiction and law type. Under state consumer protection laws, companies can face fines of $1,000–$20,000 per violation plus injunctive relief. The EU AI Act imposes penalties up to €30 million or 6% of global annual turnover for the most serious prohibited AI practices. In the US, most current AI enforcement flows through existing FTC authority — which can result in consent decrees and civil penalties — rather than AI-specific statutes with their own penalty schedules.

▸ How do I know which AI laws apply in my state?

To find AI laws that apply in your state, use the category filter above to browse by jurisdiction and topic. Colorado, Illinois, and California have the most comprehensive AI worker protection and algorithmic accountability laws. If your issue involves hiring decisions, look for state algorithmic accountability laws; for facial recognition, many cities and states have enacted specific bans or moratoria. The IAPP also maintains a comprehensive US state AI law tracker if you need broader coverage than this database.

▸ Can I file a complaint if an AI system harmed me?

Yes — depending on the type of harm, you can file complaints with the FTC (unfair or deceptive AI practices), EEOC (discriminatory AI in hiring decisions), CFPB (AI in credit or lending decisions), or your state attorney general's consumer protection office. Some states with algorithmic accountability laws (Colorado, Illinois) have specific complaint pathways for AI decision-making. Document the AI decision you received, request an explanation under any applicable transparency law, and consult an employment or consumer protection attorney if the harm is significant.

▸ What is the EU AI Act and does it affect US companies?

The EU AI Act is the world's first comprehensive AI regulation, passed in 2024 and phasing in requirements through 2027. It applies to any company that places AI products in EU markets or whose AI systems affect EU residents — which means many US AI companies must comply even without a European headquarters. It bans certain AI uses outright (social scoring, real-time biometric surveillance in public), and requires risk assessments, transparency disclosures, and human oversight for "high-risk" AI systems used in hiring, credit, law enforcement, and education. US companies serving EU customers should review which of their AI tools fall under high-risk categories.

▸ What rights do I have when an AI system makes a decision about me?

In the US, your rights depend on which sector is involved. For hiring decisions, several state laws require employers to disclose when AI was used and allow you to request the criteria it applied. For credit decisions, the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to know adverse action reasons even if an algorithm made the decision. For government AI decisions, Freedom of Information laws may give you access to how automated systems work. In the EU, GDPR gives you an explicit right not to be subject to solely automated decisions with significant legal effects. See the fighting back guide for practical steps in each scenario.

More ways to fight back: All resistance actions, AI lawsuits tracker, AI layoffs tracker, and free no-AI policy template.

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