Illinois mandates annual AI safety audits under new state law

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed landmark artificial intelligence regulations into law, requiring major developers to submit to annual third-party audits and disclose risks posed by their models. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the new guardrails are the most stringent in the nation, targeting megadevelopers such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

Chicago Sun-TimesGov. JB Pritzker signs Illinois AI regulations into law, aiming to rein in 'the tech bros'

The legislation, modeled after similar bills in California and New York, demands that large AI companies develop safety plans to prevent potentially catastrophic effects of the technology. According to shawlocal.com, the law requires developers to report on risks, creating a state-driven national framework in the absence of federal action.

shawlocal.comIllinois Gov. Pritzker signs AI regulation bill requiring risk reporting from large developers

"When managed properly, [AI] can foster tremendous growth, productivity, and innovation across the economy and vastly i"

Pritzker has been vocal about the need for oversight, criticizing Congress and the president for failing to act due to special interests, as reported by shawlocal.com. The Illinois law fills a regulatory void at the federal level, with the governor calling for thoughtful guardrails that balance industry growth with public safety.

With this move, Illinois joins a growing number of states taking independent action on AI regulation, setting a potential benchmark for other states to follow.