The world of artificial intelligence is moving at lightning speed, and lawmakers are scrambling to keep up. In Connecticut, the latest legislative session was a perfect example of this balancing act between fostering innovation and protecting citizens. While a sweeping bill aimed at regulating how businesses use AI was put on hold, several key pieces of legislation did cross the finish line. Let's break down what's new in the Constitution State's approach to AI.
The Wins: New Protections and Educational Funding
While the big headline might be about the bill that didn't pass, it's crucial to see what did. Connecticut lawmakers focused on targeted issues, resulting in some significant new rules and investments:
- Criminalizing Deepfake Revenge Porn: A major step forward in digital safety, a new law makes it a crime to disseminate “synthetically created” intimate images without consent, effective October 1, 2025. This directly targets the harmful rise of AI-generated deepfakes used for harassment.
- Enhanced Data Privacy: Under a new privacy law, companies that collect sensitive data must now inform you if your personal information is being used to train large language models. More importantly, it gives you the power to opt out of automated systems—including AI—that make critical decisions about your life in areas like housing, insurance, healthcare, education, and employment.
- Investing in the Future: The state budget allocated funds for AI education, including $500,000 for the Connecticut Online AI academy and additional funding for AI training programs at Boys and Girls Clubs. This signals a commitment to building an AI-literate workforce.
The Stalemate: The Story of Senate Bill 2
For the second year in a row, a comprehensive bill known as Senate Bill 2, which would have required companies to be transparent about their AI use with consumers, failed to become law. The bill successfully passed the Senate but was never brought to a vote in the House.
Why the roadblock? Governor Ned Lamont expressed strong concerns that the regulation could stifle innovation and scare tech businesses away from Connecticut. His chief innovation officer, Dan O’Keefe, argued that it was “too early” for a state of Connecticut's size to pioneer such broad regulations, fearing it would send a message that the state is closed for business when it comes to technological risks.
This reflects a larger, ongoing debate happening across the country: how do we regulate AI without hindering the economic and technological benefits it promises?
How Connecticut Compares
Connecticut's cautious approach stands in contrast to states like Colorado, which became the first to pass a law similar to the proposed S.B. 2, requiring companies to disclose AI systems and making AI-driven discrimination illegal. Utah, California, and Texas have also passed their own private-sector AI regulations.
However, Connecticut is in good company when it comes to tackling deepfakes, joining New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. On the federal level, the “Take It Down Act” also criminalizes deepfake porn, showing a national consensus on this specific issue. Interestingly, a federal proposal to ban states from enacting their own AI laws for 10 years was recently struck down, leaving the path clear for states like Connecticut to continue charting their own course.
Key Takeaways
Here’s a quick summary of the current AI landscape in Connecticut:
- Deepfake Revenge Porn is Now a Crime: A new law specifically targets the malicious use of AI-generated intimate images.
- You Have More Control Over Your Data: You can now opt out of having your data used by AI for major life decisions.
- Broad Business Regulation is on Hold: Concerns over harming the tech sector have stalled comprehensive AI transparency laws for now.
- Education is a Priority: The state is investing in AI training and literacy programs.
- The Debate Continues: Connecticut remains a key state to watch as it navigates the complex intersection of AI, ethics, and economic growth.