Massachusetts lawmakers seek to establish strict AI safeguards

Massachusetts is trying to become the toughest state in the country on AI regulation, and the fight over how tough is turning into a fascinating proxy war between the industry’s biggest players. Two competing proposals, one from the state House and one from the Senate, would impose stringent safety and transparency requirements on large-scale AI developers. The bills share a common goal of preventing catastrophic AI risks but diverge sharply on scope, enforcement, and how much the industry should be forced to open its black boxes to outside scrutiny. Two bills, two philosophies The House bill, H5527, released on June 22, 2026, is the more aggressive of the two. It targets AI developers generating more than $500 million in annual AI-derived revenue or spending over $1 billion on AI research and development. The requirements under H5527 are substantial. Companies would need to conduct regular identification of catastrophic risks, submit to independent safety evaluations, undergo third-party reviews of their systems, and establish whistleblower protections for employees who flag safety concerns. The state attorney general would also receive expanded enforcement powers to go after comp...