What the nation's strongest AI regulations change in 2026, according to legal experts (www.zdnet.com)

In 2026, California and New York implemented landmark AI safety regulations aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in AI development amidst ongoing uncertainty at the federal level. California's SB-53 mandates tech companies to disclose risk mitigation strategies and report safety incidents, imposing fines of up to $1 million for non-compliance. Similarly, New York's RAISE Act introduces similar reporting requirements but with higher penalties, reflecting a proactive approach to manage the potential hazards of AI technologies. Both laws target larger companies, exempting many startups, which has sparked discussions about the appropriateness of this threshold given the evolving landscape of AI. The significance of these laws lies in their potential to influence the AI regulatory landscape amid federal resistance to state-level initiatives. The Trump administration's renewed focus on centralizing AI legislation through an executive order aims to prevent states from creating a patchwork of regulations that may hinder innovation, claiming that excessive state control can introduce bias within AI models. As researchers express dissatisfaction with the current regulations, experts view SB-53 and the RAISE Act as initial steps towards comprehensive safety measures, emphasizing that while transparency alone doesn’t ensure safety, it is crucial for accountability in an industry racing to develop powerful AI systems.