The Kids Online Safety Act (S 1748) requires major social media platforms, online video games, and other "covered platforms" to implement specific safety features for minors (under 17). These features include default privacy settings that limit harmful design features like infinite scrolling and auto-play, parental controls for managing minors' accounts, and restrictions on advertising illegal products to minors. The bill also mandates annual transparency reports about how platforms are used by minors and requires platforms to provide clear notices about their content algorithms. It creates a Kids Online Safety Council to advise Congress on online safety issues for children. The law applies to platforms with more than 10 million monthly users in the U.S. and takes effect 18 months after enactment.
The NO FAKES Act of 2025 establishes legal rights for individuals to control how their voice and visual likeness is used in AI-generated digital replicas. It defines "digital replicas" as highly realistic computer-generated representations that are readily identifiable as an individual's voice or appearance, granting individuals (and their heirs) the right to authorize or prohibit such uses. The law creates liability for unauthorized use of digital replicas or distribution of products designed to create them without authorization, while providing safe harbors for online services that follow specific procedures for handling claims. It preempts state laws regarding voice and visual likeness rights in digital replicas (with limited exceptions) and establishes a 10-year post-mortem right that can be renewed for additional 5-year periods if there's active public use.
The GUARD Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institutes at U.S. institutions of higher education or senior military colleges. These institutes would receive five-year federal grants (renewable once) to conduct AI research focused on national security, including developing secure data sets, creating AI testbeds, and supporting workforce development in AI disciplines. The bill requires competitive merit-based selection of grantees, mandates all recipients be U.S.-based entities, and specifies that funds must support activities like translating research into defense applications and broadening participation in AI. The primary direct beneficiaries are U.S. research institutions collaborating with defense agencies, industry, and government partners on AI projects with national security applications.
S 2606 requires the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command to develop a roadmap by August 2026 for collaborating with private industry on AI-powered cybersecurity tools for the Department of Defense. The roadmap must establish how the military can partner with AI developers and cybersecurity firms, including details on contracts, security clearance processes, and technology transition plans. It mandates specific elements like near-term AI use cases, industry engagement strategies, and infrastructure costs, with annual updates to Congress starting in 2028. This bill directly affects private sector companies working with the DoD on AI and cybersecurity, aiming to streamline collaboration for both defensive and offensive cyber operations.
This bill directs the Commerce Department to develop and distribute free training resources to help small businesses adopt artificial intelligence and key emerging technologies like quantum-hybrid computing. The training will cover practical business areas including financial management, cybersecurity, marketing, and supply chain operations, with special focus on small businesses in rural, Tribal, or underserved communities and those in advanced manufacturing. The program requires annual updates to the training materials, distribution through existing Small Business Administration resource centers (like SCORE and small business development centers), and annual reports to Congress tracking participation and business outcomes. The initiative will expire three years after enactment.
HR 7734, the Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026, directs existing federal research grant programs to prioritize four specific agricultural research areas. It adds new funding priorities for mechanized harvesting technologies (especially for specialty crops), artificial intelligence applications in farming (focusing on specialty crop production), invasive species management, and sustainable aquaculture methods. These grants will be awarded to land-grant colleges and universities, as defined by federal law, to develop and test these specific technologies and approaches. The bill does not create new funding but shifts emphasis within current programs toward these targeted research goals.
The Unleashing AI Innovation in Financial Services Act creates a new pathway for financial institutions to test AI-powered financial products with regulatory flexibility. Financial institutions can apply to their regulatory agency for an "alternative compliance strategy" that would temporarily waive or modify certain regulations for a limited time, provided they demonstrate how the AI test project serves the public interest, improves consumer access, and manages risks. Regulatory agencies must review applications within 120 days and report annually to Congress on outcomes of these AI test projects without disclosing proprietary information. This law directly affects banks, brokerages, investment firms, and other financial institutions regulated by agencies like the SEC, CFPB, and FDIC.
The SUCCESS for BEAD Act (S 3565) modifies how leftover funds from the federal BEAD broadband program can be used. It requires eligible entities to establish a competitive subgrant program using remaining funds for public safety (including Next Generation 9-1-1 systems), workforce development in telecommunications and AI sectors, and AI-supportive infrastructure projects. The bill specifies priorities for underserved areas, military installations, and cybersecurity, while including a public challenge process to prevent overbuilding of fiber infrastructure. It also establishes requirements for coordination with emergency communications centers for Next Generation 9-1-1 implementation.
The Defense Technology Hubs Act of 2026 requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a program creating regional hubs focused on advancing defense-related technologies like AI, quantum, and cybersecurity. These hubs - designated from applications by eligible consortia (including universities, defense contractors, and local governments) - will accelerate research, foster partnerships with military installations, and build workforce pipelines. The program authorizes $375 million (2026-2030) to fund hubs, with federal grants covering up to 50% of costs, while mandating strict security protocols to protect sensitive research. It aims to distribute at least 10 hubs across diverse U.S. regions within three years, prioritizing areas near existing defense facilities.
The Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Inclusion Act authorizes the National Science Foundation to fund local AI literacy programs targeting underserved communities, including people of color, low-income residents, rural populations, seniors, and people with disabilities. These programs must cover AI basics, ethics, applications, and societal impacts, with grantees required to submit annual reports on participant demographics and program effectiveness. Federal agencies like Labor, Commerce, and Education must also submit reports to Congress within one year on integrating AI literacy into workforce training, small business support, and school curricula, including how to adapt existing grant programs. The bill mandates public availability of all agency reports and emphasizes community-driven education to build broader public understanding of AI. This legislation aims to expand equitable access to AI education without specifying outcomes or advocating for particular policies.
