AI Governance

Countries worldwide are working to craft guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). China was the first country to adopt AI regulations beginning in 2021, covering recommendation algorithms, synthetically generated content, and generative AI. In 2024, the EU adopted the AI Act, a novel legal framework with an emphasis on striking a balance between promoting AI innovation and ensuring ethical AI development and use, and later that year, the OECD and UN announced plans to cooperate in the development of global AI governance.

The U.S. has also begun to take on AI regulation, with cities and states pioneering the establishment of rules for AI use. For example, New York City has rolled out landmark regulations overseeing AI-enabled hiring tools and released a plan to embrace AI that launches a process of AI adoption within city agencies, and at the state level, Texas has inaugurated an advisory body to analyze AI's implications and report to its legislative assembly.

At the federal level, the Biden administration issued guidance to federal agencies in 2024 on the use of AI and brokered a voluntary agreement among leading tech companies to follow eight measures for responsible AI deployment. However, in January 2025, President Trump revoked those policies and called for the development of a new AI action plan. Planners should be alert for developments in this rapidly evolving area, be aware of their local governments' AI policies, and stay informed on how to ethically use AI, protect privacy, and reduce the risk of potential discrimination while deploying AI-driven technology solutions.