We’ve established that artificial intelligence is the issue du jour in state capitols today and that state lawmakers are solidly in the education stage of the policymaking process around AI regulation. But it’s helpful to take a step back and ask what are we even talking about? What is “artificial intelligence”? Policymakers and industry insiders have yet to settle on a universal definition, and lawmakers need a more precise and narrow definition of AI in order to regulate the technology in legislation. So far, states have proposed various definitions.

From a public policy standpoint, we’re solidly in the education phase of AI regulation. We’re all scrambling to get up to speed on this emerging technology. For policymakers, this means study committees, task forces, and working groups dedicated to hearing from experts and stakeholders with the goal of developing recommendations on how best to regulate AI at this stage in the technology’s development. And that’s largely what we’ve seen this year as lawmakers gear up for a busy 2024 legislative session. Eight states have created a dedicated group tasked with studying AI, while another 11 states have asked a standing committee or state agency to take the lead in studying this emerging technology.