Three U.S. states passed new AI-related laws last week targeting some of the most sensitive applications of the technology. Nebraska passed a chatbot regulation bill, Maryland enacted pricing rules for AI-driven insurance decisions, and Maine prohibited anyone from offering therapy or psychotherapy services through AI unless the services are delivered by a licensed professional.
These laws reflect growing concern that AI is being deployed in high-stakes areas — healthcare, mental health, and insurance — without adequate safeguards. The Maine law is particularly notable because it draws a clear line: AI can assist licensed therapists, but it cannot replace them. This directly challenges startups that have launched AI therapy chatbots marketed as affordable alternatives to traditional counseling.
Meanwhile, Indiana, Utah, and Washington have also enacted laws prohibiting health insurers from using AI as the sole basis for denying or modifying claims. This follows widespread reports of insurance companies using automated systems to reject claims at scale without meaningful human review.
For students studying AI ethics and governance, these state-level actions show that regulation is not waiting for the federal government. Individual states are setting the rules, creating a patchwork of laws that AI companies must navigate differently depending on where their users live.