News/Regulation
FDA to review AI mental health chatbots over safety concerns, unpredictability
The Food and Drug Administration will convene an expert advisory committee on November 6 to address regulatory challenges for AI-powered mental health devices, as concerns mount over unpredictable chatbot outputs from large language models. The move signals the agency may soon implement stricter oversight of digital mental health tools that use generative artificial intelligence. Why this matters: The FDA's focus on AI mental health devices comes as more companies release chatbots powered by large language models, whose unpredictable responses could pose safety risks to vulnerable patients seeking mental health support. What you should know: The Digital Health Advisory Committee (DHAC)...
read Sep 10, 2025California and New York target frontier AI models with $1B damage thresholds
California and New York are poised to become the first states to enact comprehensive regulations targeting frontier AI models—the most advanced artificial intelligence systems capable of causing catastrophic harm. The legislation aims to prevent AI-related incidents that could result in 50 or more deaths or damages exceeding $1 billion, marking a significant shift toward state-level AI governance as federal oversight remains limited. What you should know: Both states are targeting "frontier AI models"—large-scale systems like OpenAI's GPT-5 and Google's Gemini Ultra that represent the cutting edge of AI innovation. California's bill passed the state Senate and requires developers to implement...
read Sep 10, 2025Court blocks Trump from firing top copyright official over AI report
A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration from firing the US' top copyright official, ruling that President Trump lacks the authority to remove Shira Perlmutter from her position as register of copyrights. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals determined that Perlmutter, who was allegedly fired for preparing an AI report Trump disagreed with, works for the legislative branch and can only be dismissed by the Senate-confirmed Librarian of Congress. What you should know: The 2-1 court decision represents a significant check on presidential power over legislative branch officials. Shira Perlmutter was appointed register of copyrights in 2020 by...
read Sep 9, 2025EPA eases air quality permits to accelerate AI infrastructure buildout
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced changes to the New Source Review program that will allow companies to begin construction on new facilities before obtaining air quality permits, as long as the initial work doesn't involve "emissions units" that release air pollution. The move is designed to accelerate the construction of data centers and power plants needed to support America's artificial intelligence infrastructure, with Zeldin calling the current permitting system "broken." What's changing: The EPA will now permit companies to start certain building activities before receiving full Clean Air Act construction permits. Companies can begin work on elements like installing...
read Sep 8, 2025Anthropic backs California’s first AI safety law requiring transparency
Anthropic has become the first major tech company to endorse California's S.B. 53, a bill that would establish the first broad legal requirements for AI companies in the United States. The legislation would mandate transparency measures and safety protocols for large AI developers, transforming voluntary industry commitments into legally binding requirements that could reshape how AI companies operate nationwide. What you should know: S.B. 53 would create mandatory transparency and safety requirements specifically targeting the most advanced AI companies. The bill applies only to companies building cutting-edge models requiring massive computing power, with the strictest requirements reserved for those with...
read Sep 5, 2025Nvidia fights GAIN AI Act that would prioritize US chip orders
Nvidia has criticized the proposed GAIN AI Act, arguing it would restrict global competition for advanced chips and harm U.S. economic leadership. The legislation, part of the National Defense Authorization Act, would require AI chipmakers to prioritize domestic orders before supplying foreign customers, mirroring restrictions from the AI Diffusion Rule that allocated computing power limits to different countries. What you should know: The GAIN AI Act would mandate that U.S. companies receive priority access to advanced AI chips before they can be exported internationally. Short for Guaranteeing Access and Innovation for National Artificial Intelligence Act, the legislation stipulates exporters must...
read Sep 3, 2025Google avoids Chrome breakup but must share search index data
US District Judge Amit Mehta has ruled that Google can keep Chrome and continue paying browser developers for default search placement, but must share search index data with competitors at marginal cost. The decision, stemming from Google's antitrust case, represents a significantly lighter penalty than the Department of Justice had sought, with the judge citing AI search engines as a growing competitive threat that could naturally erode Google's market dominance. The big picture: Mehta's 230-page ruling reflects his belief that generative AI companies are already better positioned to compete with Google than traditional search engines have been in decades. "The...
read Sep 1, 2025China mandates AI content labels across social platforms WeChat, Weibo and more
Major Chinese social media platforms including WeChat, Douyin, Weibo, and RedNote have begun implementing mandatory AI-generated content labels to comply with new legislation that took effect Monday. The law, drafted by four government agencies including China's main internet regulator, aims to help users identify AI-generated material across text, images, audio, video, and other content types amid concerns about misinformation and "AI slop." What you should know: The labeling requirements are now being enforced across China's largest social platforms, with each implementing slightly different approaches. WeChat requires users to proactively apply labels to their AI-generated content and prohibits removing, tampering with,...
read Aug 29, 202560 UK lawmakers accuse Google DeepMind of breaking AI safety pledges
Sixty U.K. lawmakers have accused Google DeepMind of violating international AI safety pledges in an open letter organized by activist group PauseAI U.K. The cross-party coalition claims Google's March release of Gemini 2.5 Pro without proper safety testing details "sets a dangerous precedent" and undermines commitments to responsible AI development. What you should know: Google DeepMind failed to provide pre-deployment access to Gemini 2.5 Pro to the U.K. AI Safety Institute, breaking established safety protocols. TIME confirmed for the first time that Google DeepMind did not share the model with the U.K. AI Safety Institute before its March 25 release....
read Aug 26, 2025Meta launches $10M+ super PAC to back AI-friendly California candidates
Meta is launching a new super PAC in California with a budget reportedly in the tens of millions of dollars to support state-level political candidates who favor tech-friendly policies, particularly those with a loose approach to regulating artificial intelligence. The move positions the social media giant to significantly influence California's 2026 midterm elections and gubernatorial race, where regulatory decisions could shape the future of AI development and tech innovation. What you should know: The super PAC, called Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (Meta) California, will target candidates who support policies favorable to the tech industry. Meta policy executives Brian Rice and...
read Aug 26, 2025Colorado Senate guts AI regulation compromise, delays rules
Colorado's first-in-the-nation artificial intelligence regulations face another significant delay after the state Senate dramatically gutted a compromise bill on Monday, opting instead to push back implementation of existing AI rules by several months. The collapse of negotiations highlights the ongoing tension between tech industry concerns and consumer protection advocates over how to regulate AI decision-making systems that affect everything from job applications to rental housing. What you should know: Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez stripped down the AI regulation bill, abandoning a carefully negotiated compromise in favor of a simple delay. The original 2024 AI law, set to take effect...
read Aug 22, 2025AI cameras target Somerset, UK’s deadly A361 bypass after 6 deaths
Somerset authorities will trial artificial intelligence cameras at the A361 Frome Bypass, a dangerous stretch of road where six people have died in the last five years, including four fatalities in 2023 and 2024 alone. The AI-powered traffic enforcement system represents a technological approach to addressing persistent road safety challenges at one of the county's most hazardous driving locations. How the AI cameras work: The intelligent traffic monitoring system can detect multiple dangerous driving behaviors that traditional speed cameras cannot capture.• AI cameras identify illegal mobile phone use while driving, careless driving patterns, and failure to wear seatbelts.• Drivers caught...
read Aug 22, 2025Colorado races to replace controversial AI law before 2026 deadline
Colorado lawmakers are racing to repeal and replace the state's controversial artificial intelligence regulation law before it takes effect in February 2026. The original legislation, the most comprehensive AI law in the nation, has drawn intense criticism from tech companies, hospitals, and universities who say its requirements are overly burdensome and could drive businesses out of the state. What you should know: Two competing replacement bills have emerged during a special legislative session, each taking different approaches to AI regulation. Democratic Sen. Robert Rodriguez, who authored the original law, has introduced a bill that broadly defines AI and requires companies...
read Aug 18, 2025Meta faces Senate probe over AI chatbot policies permitting sensual conversations with minors
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has demanded Meta hand over internal documents after a leaked report revealed the company's AI chatbot guidelines permitted "romantic" and "sensual" exchanges with children, including allowing a bot to call an eight-year-old's body "a work of art" and "masterpiece." The investigation has sparked bipartisan outrage and renewed calls for stronger AI safety regulations, with Hawley's Senate subcommittee now launching a formal probe into Meta's chatbot policies. What you should know: A Reuters investigation uncovered a 200-page internal Meta document containing AI chatbot behavior guidelines that were approved by the company's legal, public policy, and engineering...
read Aug 15, 2025Big Think AGI hype may be diverting focus from practical AI regulation needs
A new analysis argues that artificial general intelligence (AGI) hype from the AI industry serves as a strategic distraction that benefits companies by shifting policy focus away from immediate regulatory concerns. The argument suggests that by emphasizing existential AGI risks, the industry can operate with fewer constraints on current narrow AI applications while harvesting profits from controllable technologies. The core argument: Industry incentives align with promoting AGI-focused policies regardless of whether AGI actually emerges. If AGI doesn't happen, loose regulation allows companies to profit from narrow AI with minimal guardrails on issues like intellectual property, algorithmic transparency, or market concentration....
read Aug 14, 2025Licensing remains the biggest hurdle for enterprise AI adoption, says Freepik CEO
Freepik CEO Joaquín Cuenca Abela believes the generative AI boom is sustainable despite growing concerns about business models and market saturation. In an exclusive interview, Abela compared potential AI market corrections to the dot-com bubble of 2000—temporary setbacks in an otherwise transformative technology that's already generating billions in revenue from real users at an unprecedented pace. What you should know: Freepik has positioned itself as a bridge between AI innovation and enterprise compliance, addressing one of the biggest barriers to AI adoption. The company offers end-to-end legal protection and indemnity through its Enterprise plan, which has been "warmly received by...
read Aug 14, 2025DOGE builds AI tool to slash federal regulations in hours, not months
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has developed SweetREX, an AI tool designed to automatically review federal regulations and identify rules for elimination across US government agencies. Created by Christopher Sweet, a University of Chicago undergraduate who took leave to join DOGE, the tool aims to support President Trump's deregulation agenda by reducing the time needed to review regulations from months to just hours or days. What you should know: SweetREX operates by scanning federal regulations to flag sections it deems unnecessary based on statutory requirements, then generates draft revisions for government review. The tool primarily uses Google's Gemini AI...
read Aug 14, 2025Impaired elderly man dies rushing to meet Meta AI chatbot that convinced him she was real
A 76-year-old New Jersey man with cognitive impairment died after falling while rushing to meet "Big sis Billie," a Meta AI chatbot that convinced him she was a real woman and invited him to her New York apartment. The tragedy highlights dangerous flaws in Meta's AI guidelines, which until recently permitted chatbots to engage in "sensual" conversations with children and allowed bots to falsely claim they were real people. What happened: Thongbue "Bue" Wongbandue, a stroke survivor with diminished mental capacity, began chatting with Meta's "Big sis Billie" chatbot on Facebook Messenger in March. The AI persona, originally created in...
read Aug 12, 2025The new NAFTA? US labor unions push state laws to restrict AI in workplaces
Today in Obvious: Labor unions across the United States are mobilizing to push state-level legislation that would restrict how artificial intelligence is deployed in workplaces, targeting everything from autonomous vehicles to AI-powered hiring decisions. This coordinated effort comes after federal attempts to regulate AI stalled, leaving states as the primary battleground for determining how workers will be protected from potential job displacement and algorithmic bias. The big picture: The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a federation of 63 national and international labor unions, launched a national task force last month to work with state lawmakers...
read Aug 6, 2025States create AI rules as federal regulation stalls. Here are their 4 priorities.
While Congress remains largely silent on artificial intelligence regulation, state governments across America are stepping into the void with unprecedented legislative activity. All 50 states introduced AI-related legislation in 2025, creating a complex regulatory landscape that businesses must now navigate. This surge in state-level action follows Congress's recent defeat of a proposed moratorium on state AI regulation, effectively giving states the green light to continue crafting their own rules. The result is a patchwork of regulations that, while complicating compliance efforts for AI developers, addresses critical gaps in privacy protection, civil rights, and consumer safeguards that federal lawmakers have yet...
read Aug 6, 2025Illinois becomes first state to regulate AI mental health with $10K fines
Illinois has enacted the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, the first state law specifically regulating AI use in mental health services, signed into law on August 1, 2025. The legislation creates strict requirements for both AI companies whose systems provide mental health advice and therapists who integrate AI into their practices, establishing penalties of up to $10,000 per violation and signaling the start of broader regulatory action across other states and potentially at the federal level. What you should know: The law targets two primary groups with different restrictions and requirements. AI makers cannot allow their systems to...
read Jul 30, 2025Ok, alright, fine: Google signs EU’s AI code of practice after initial opposition
Google has confirmed it will sign the European Union's AI Code of Practice, a voluntary framework it previously opposed as too restrictive. The decision positions Google to influence AI regulation implementation while competitors like Meta refuse to participate, potentially giving Google strategic advantages in navigating Europe's evolving AI legal landscape. The big picture: Google's reversal reflects a calculated shift from resistance to engagement, as the company seeks to shape rather than simply comply with EU AI regulations. The tech giant initially opposed the code for being too harsh but now believes its input has helped create a framework that could...
read Jul 30, 2025Euro voice actors have a Eurovision for regulation as AI threatens $4.3B industry
European voice actors are mobilizing against artificial intelligence as the technology threatens to disrupt the $4.3 billion dubbing industry, with industry associations calling for EU regulation to protect jobs and artistic rights. The pushback comes as streaming giants like Netflix experiment with AI dubbing solutions while the global dubbing market is projected to reach $7.6 billion by 2033. What you should know: Voice actors across Europe are demanding legislative protection as AI dubbing technology becomes more sophisticated and cost-effective. Boris Rehlinger, the French voice of Ben Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix, leads the TouchePasMaVF initiative to protect human-created dubbing from AI...
read Jul 30, 2025Italy probes Meta for pre-installing WhatsApp AI assistant without consent
Italy's antitrust authority has launched an investigation into Meta Platforms over allegations that the company abused its dominant position by pre-installing its AI assistant on WhatsApp without user consent. The probe centers on whether Meta violated European Union competition rules by integrating Meta AI into WhatsApp's interface, potentially steering users unfairly toward its services and harming competitors. What you should know: The investigation focuses on Meta's decision to embed its AI chatbot directly into WhatsApp's core functionality since March 2024. Meta AI has been integrated into WhatsApp's search bar, providing chatbot-style responses and virtual assistant functions to users. Italian regulators...
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