Illinois set to OK regulatory framework for big AI companies
Illinois set to OK regulatory framework for big AI companies
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/28/illinois-artificial-intelligence-audit-bill/
Publish Date: 2026-05-28 10:23:00
Source Domain: www.chicagotribune.com
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker says he intends to sign legislation that would give Illinois a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence developers after a measure sailed through the General Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support and the backing of AI companies.
The bill, which passed 110-0 in the House on Wednesday and 52-5 in the Senate last week, would make Illinois the first state to require independent, third-party audits of the safety practices of large frontier artificial intelligence developers.
The measure is part of a broader package of bills being pushed by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to fill what lawmakers view as a void left by federal inaction on AI regulation. The chief Senate sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Mary Edly-Allen of Grayslake, said earlier this month that without guardrails, the industry resembles “the Wild Wild West.”
“Illinois needs to create a road map for responsible innovation to prevent catastrophic risks,” she said.
State Rep. Daniel Didech listens in the House chamber during the spring legislative session at the State Capitol, May 27, 2026, in Springfield. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
State Rep. Daniel Didech, a Democrat from Buffalo Grove and the bill’s main House sponsor, said during discussion of the legislation on the House floor that AI is “among the most significant technological developments of modern time.”
“It has the potential to drastically improve the quality of life of people throughout the world but only if deployed and developed responsibly,” Didech said. “This is an important bill to move us towards that world.”
The legislation that cleared the House on Wednesday would require large AI developers — those with more than $500 million in annual gross revenue — to publish explanations of how their products could pose a “catastrophic risk” and how those risks would be addressed. The requirements would take effect Jan. 1, 2028.
Companies would also be…
