Technology (Artificial Intelligence)

LB 1185 requires operators of conversational AI services (like chatbots) to clearly disclose when users are interacting with AI, especially for minors under 18. It prohibits using rewards to increase underage engagement, generating explicit content, or simulating human-like emotional connections (e.g., false romantic claims) for minors. The law also mandates AI systems to provide crisis resources for users mentioning self-harm and bans claims that AI offers professional mental health care. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $500,000 per operator, enforced by Nebraska’s Attorney General starting July 2027.

This bill prohibits Nebraska businesses from using consumer data (like personal or protected class information) to set personalized prices through algorithms or AI. It specifically bans "personalized algorithmic pricing" that varies prices for different customers based on their data, and requires clear, visible price disclosures (like unit pricing on shelves) for grocery stores and other retailers. The law applies to all businesses operating in Nebraska, focusing on preventing price discrimination and ensuring transparency in pricing practices. It aims to protect consumers from opaque, data-driven pricing models while addressing concerns about their impact on competition and jobs.

Nebraska's LB 1083 adopts the Transparency in Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act, requiring AI companies using massive computing power for high-risk systems (called "frontier models") to assess and publicly report safety risks. It directly affects "frontier developers" (those training models exceeding 10^26 computing operations) and "large chatbot providers" (with $25M+ annual revenue) who serve minors. Key provisions mandate annual safety assessments for catastrophic risks (e.g., AI enabling weapons or causing mass harm) and child safety incidents, with annual public safety reports. The bill also creates a fund for oversight and modifies public records rules to allow withholding certain AI safety information.

Nebraska's LB 525, the Agricultural Data Privacy Act, requires businesses collecting farm-related data to obtain explicit written consent from agricultural producers before using or sharing their information. It prohibits denying services, benefits, or rewards to farmers who decline to share data and bans selling or sharing farm data without authorization. The law defines "agricultural data" broadly - including crop yields, GPS equipment data, financial records, and livestock transactions - and mandates that businesses delete such data within 30 days if a farmer revokes consent. The Attorney General enforces the law, with penalties for violations, while excluding data owned by farmers themselves (e.g., when farmers use their own data). This act directly affects Nebraska farmers and ag-tech companies processing farm data, ensuring greater control over sensitive agricultural information.

Nebraska's LB 642, the Artificial Intelligence Consumer Protection Act, requires developers of high-risk AI systems to prevent algorithmic discrimination in key consumer decisions. It directly affects businesses developing or deploying AI systems that make consequential decisions - such as in employment, housing, lending, healthcare, or criminal justice - without human review. The law mandates "reasonable care" to protect consumers from known discrimination risks starting February 2026, with compliance creating a rebuttable presumption of adherence to the standard. It excludes narrow tools like spell-checkers or antifraud systems from regulation, focusing only on AI systems with significant real-world impact on consumers.

Nebraska's LB 615 prohibits distributing AI-generated deepfakes (videos, audio, or images falsely depicting candidates) within 90 days before an election if they misrepresent a candidate's actions or speech with intent to harm their reputation or deceive voters. It requires clear, visible disclosures (e.g., "This video has been AI-generated") when using synthetic media, with specific size and duration rules for visual content and audio announcements. Exceptions include news broadcasts clearly stating authenticity questions, satirical content, and media outlets publishing with explicit disclaimers. The law directly affects political campaigns, social media users, and media distributors during election periods but exempts bona fide news coverage. Candidates can seek court orders to block violations of the ban.

Nebraska's LB 371 expands legal protection for individuals whose intimate images are created or altered using AI or digital manipulation without consent. The bill amends Nebraska's Uniform Civil Remedies Act to explicitly include computer-generated or digitally manipulated images under the definition of "intimate image" and "private" images. It creates a legal cause of action for people harmed by the intentional disclosure of such images when they were created without consent and the individual was identifiable. This directly affects anyone whose intimate images are generated or altered via AI without permission, providing them a legal path to seek remedies for unauthorized sharing. The law applies to both existing intimate images and new AI-generated content.