Refers to the laws, executive actions, regulatory guidance, and national strategies established by the United States government to ensure the safe, ethical, and responsible development and use of AI across the country. Federal AI policy sets nationwide principles and requirements related to civil rights protections, data privacy, national security, AI safety and risk management, transparency, consumer protection, and oversight in key sectors such as healthcare, finance, education, and transportation. Components of federal policy may include agency-specific standards, procurement rules for trustworthy AI, reporting and impact assessment requirements, and governance structures such as federal AI councils or interagency oversight bodies.

Federal policy establishes overarching guardrails and national coordination within which states may adopt more specific or context-based AI regulations. The U.S. approach is developing alongside AI governance efforts in other nations and regions—including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)—which are creating regulatory frameworks that emphasize safety, accountability, human rights protections, and international alignment. Together, these national and international approaches reflect a growing global effort to promote responsible and harmonized AI governance.

See Learn & Work Ecosystem Library: Glossary /  Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulations / Policy - States | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library

See Learn & Work Ecosystem Library: Topic Brief / Regulation/Policy in Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Learn & Work Ecosystem Library