Illinois passes strongest US AI safety law, Trump loses regulatory control
On Wednesday, the Illinois legislature approved SB 315, which is recognized as the most stringent AI safety legislation in the country. Should Governor J.B. Pritzker sign it, as he indicated on X, the law mandates that major AI companies create public safety plans and submit annual reports based on independent safety evaluations of advanced models. Firms are obligated to report significant safety incidents within 72 hours, or within 24 hours if there is an immediate threat of death or severe injury. Additionally, the law offers protections for whistleblowers who disclose safety concerns. This development follows President Donald Trump's sudden decision to abandon a proposal that would have allowed federal oversight of advanced AI models, due to worries about stifling innovation. Pritzker stated, "Illinois is leading the nation in holding Big Tech accountable," signaling a notable transition of AI regulation from federal to state authority.
Key facts
- Illinois legislature passed SB 315 on Wednesday.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker confirmed intent to sign the bill.
- Law requires largest AI firms to submit public safety plans and annual reports.
- Reports must be based on independent third-party safety testing of frontier models.
- Critical safety incidents must be reported within 72 hours (24 hours if imminent risk of death or serious harm).
- Whistleblower protections are provided for employees reporting safety risks.
- Trump had canceled a federal plan to vet frontier AI models days earlier.
- Pritzker stated Illinois is leading the nation in holding Big Tech accountable.
Entities
Institutions
- Illinois Legislature
- Illinois Governor's Office
- Big Tech
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
Locations
- Illinois
- United States