Rhode Island AI Laws and Regulation (2026)

Overview of Rhode Island AI Laws

Rhode Island has taken a targeted approach to artificial intelligence regulation, enacting specific deepfake laws while its broader AI governance proposals have stalled in committee. As of March 2026, the state has two enacted AI-related laws addressing synthetic media, an active executive-level AI task force, and several pending bills in the 2026 legislative session.

The state's most significant AI legislation came in July 2025, when Governor Daniel McKee signed two deepfake bills into law. One criminalizes AI-generated intimate imagery, while the other requires disclosure of synthetic media used near elections.

Meanwhile, attempts to pass comprehensive AI regulation, including the Rhode Island Artificial Intelligence Act (S 627), have not succeeded. The 2026 session has renewed efforts with bills targeting AI in the workplace and healthcare.

This article covers Rhode Island's enacted and pending AI legislation, executive actions, and the federal policy landscape. This information is current as of March 2026, but you should consult an attorney for advice specific to your situation.

Enacted Deepfake Laws (2025)

Rhode Island enacted two deepfake-related laws in July 2025, signed by Governor McKee on July 2. These represent the state's only enacted AI-specific legislation to date.

AI-Generated Intimate Imagery (H 5046 / S 0136)

Rhode Island updated its existing 2018 law banning nonconsensual sharing of explicit images to cover content digitally created or altered by artificial intelligence. The bill was championed by Rep. Jason Knight (D-Barrington, Warren) and sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Elaine J. Morgan (R-Hopkinton, Charlestown, Exeter, Richmond, West Greenwich).

Key provisions of the updated law include:

• Expanding the definition of prohibited intimate imagery to include AI-generated or digitally manipulated content (commonly known as deepfakes)
• Applying existing criminal penalties for nonconsensual intimate imagery to synthetic versions
• Providing victims of AI-generated intimate imagery with the same legal remedies available for traditional nonconsensual imagery
• Taking effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on July 2, 2025

Rhode Island joined dozens of other states that have enacted similar protections against AI-generated intimate imagery.

Election Deepfake Disclosure (H 5872 / S 0816)

The second enacted law addresses the use of synthetic media in election communications. The Rhode Island House passed the bill for the second consecutive year before the Senate approved it in 2025.

The law establishes these requirements:

Requirement	Details
Disclosure window	Within 90 days of an election
Content covered	AI-manipulated images, audio, and video depicting candidates
Required disclosure	Statement that the content has been doctored or generated by AI
Scope	Applies to communications intended to influence voters

Rhode Island joined New Hampshire in banning undisclosed deepfakes near elections, reflecting growing concern about AI-manipulated political media across New England states.

The Rhode Island Artificial Intelligence Act (S 627) - Failed

The most ambitious AI proposal in Rhode Island's history was Senate Bill 627, introduced on March 7, 2025. The bill would have created comprehensive regulations for high-risk AI systems but died in committee on May 12, 2025, when the committee recommended it be held for further study.

What S 627 Would Have Required

The bill targeted developers, integrators, and deployers of high-risk AI systems, particularly those influencing consequential decisions. Key requirements included:

For developers:

• Use reasonable care to prevent algorithmic discrimination
• Implement risk management policies
• Disclose known risks to the Attorney General and affected parties
• Ensure AI-generated synthetic digital content is clearly marked

For deployers:

• Conduct regular impact assessments
• Notify consumers when AI is used in decision-making
• Provide opportunities for individuals to appeal adverse decisions made by AI systems

Enforcement:

• The Attorney General would have held exclusive enforcement authority
• The act focused on encouraging compliance before pursuing legal action
• Intended effective date: October 1, 2025

The ACLU of Rhode Island tracked the bill and its progress through the legislative process. The bill's failure reflects the difficulty many states face in passing comprehensive AI regulation amid industry concerns and political complexity.

Executive Order 24-06: AI Task Force

Governor Dan McKee signed Executive Order 24-06 establishing two key AI governance structures: the Rhode Island AI Task Force and a Data Center of Excellence.

AI Task Force Structure

The AI Task Force was charged with assessing risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and advising state policymakers. Former Congressman Jim Langevin was appointed as chair, and the inaugural meeting brought together 24 subject matter experts from various sectors.

Key task force goals include:

• Promoting responsible AI development and innovation
• Assessing economic, societal, and ethical implications of AI
• Advising on AI applications in business, education, healthcare, and government
• Recommending policy frameworks for AI governance in Rhode Island

Data Center of Excellence

The executive order also established a Center of Excellence for AI and Data under the Department of Administration. This center operates within the Division of Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services (ETSS) and focuses on building the state's data infrastructure and AI capabilities.

Workforce Development Component

EO 24-06 directed the Department of Labor and Training, the Rhode Island Department of Education, and the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner to collaborate on AI training and education opportunities for state workers, municipal employees, quasi-public agency staff, and private-sector employees.

Healthcare AI Legislation

Healthcare AI has been a recurring focus for Rhode Island lawmakers, though no healthcare-specific AI bill has been enacted as of March 2026.

Health Insurance AI Transparency (S 0013 - Failed 2025)

Senate Bill 0013 would have established the Transparency and Accountability in Artificial Intelligence Use by Health Insurers Act. The bill reached the engrossed stage but died before becoming law.

The bill would have required:

• Health insurers to disclose AI models, decision-making processes, training datasets, and performance metrics to the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC)
• Five-year documentation retention for AI-influenced decisions
• Qualified healthcare professional review of any adverse benefit determination made by AI before finalization
• Intended effective date: June 30, 2026

House Bill 5172 (Failed 2025)

House Bill 5172 similarly aimed to promote transparency and accountability in health insurer AI use. The bill proposed fines of up to $50,000 per violation, potential license revocation, and a private right of action for affected patients. The committee recommended the measure be held for further study on April 1, 2025.

2026 Healthcare AI Bills

The 2026 session has revived healthcare AI concerns:

S 2570 (Use of AI by Healthcare Providers Notification Act): This bill would require healthcare providers and facilities to inform patients when artificial intelligence is used to memorialize patient visits. A group of 10 Democratic senators introduced the measure, but the committee recommended it be held for further study on March 3, 2026.

S 2010: This 2026 bill addresses AI models used in healthcare claims and coverage decisions, requiring documentation of AI's role in the decision-making process.

AI in Employment and the Workplace

Rhode Island has not enacted specific AI employment legislation, but the topic has received increasing legislative attention.

2026 Workplace AI Bill (H 7767)

House Bill 7767, introduced on February 12, 2026, would create a comprehensive statutory framework for AI in the workplace. The bill was referred to the House Labor Committee and considers the interests of both employers and employees.

Attorney General's Regulatory Guidance

Rhode Island's Attorney General has issued guidelines to prevent deceptive trade practices in AI decision-making that affects rights, opportunities, or access to resources and services. These guidelines fall under the state's Deceptive Trade Practices Act and address discrimination based on protected categories including race, gender, age, and disability.

Until specific legislation is enacted, employers in Rhode Island using AI in hiring and employment decisions must comply with existing federal and state anti-discrimination laws. AI systems that produce biased or discriminatory outcomes could create liability under these existing protections.

Other Pending 2026 AI Bills

Beyond workplace and healthcare bills, the 2026 Rhode Island legislative session includes several other AI-related proposals:

H 7764 (Algorithmic Rent Pricing): This bill would prohibit landlords from using algorithmic pricing to determine residential rent amounts, addressing concerns about AI-driven rent optimization tools.

HB 7849 (Surveillance Pricing): A surveillance pricing bill that targets the use of AI and personal data to set individualized prices for consumers. The bill was set for a committee hearing in March 2026.

S 0358 (AI Civil Cause of Action): This bill would provide a civil cause of action for individuals injured by artificial intelligence, potentially creating new legal liability for AI developers and deployers in Rhode Island.

Federal AI Policy and Rhode Island

Executive Order 14365

President Trump's Executive Order 14365, signed December 11, 2025, establishes mechanisms to challenge state AI laws and conditions certain federal funding on states' regulatory approaches.

Impact on Rhode Island's Laws

Rhode Island's enacted and pending AI legislation intersects with the federal framework in several ways:

Enacted deepfake laws (likely protected): Both the intimate imagery law and election deepfake disclosure law likely fall within EO 14365's protected carve-outs for public safety and election integrity, making them less vulnerable to federal preemption.

Comprehensive AI regulation (higher risk): If Rhode Island revives S 627 or similar comprehensive AI legislation, it could face scrutiny under the executive order's provisions challenging state regulations deemed to obstruct AI development.

Healthcare AI bills: Proposed healthcare AI transparency requirements could be affected if they are deemed to create compliance burdens that conflict with federal policy objectives.

Broadband funding considerations: Rhode Island, like other states, faces potential consequences from EO 14365's conditioning of federal broadband funding (BEAD program) on states' AI regulatory approaches.

More Rhode Island Laws

Explore other Rhode Island law topics on Recording Law:

• Rhode Island Recording Laws
• [Rhode Island Data Privacy Laws](/us-laws/data-privacy-laws/rhode-island-data-privacy-laws)
• Rhode Island Whistleblower Laws
• Rhode Island Sexting Laws
• Rhode Island Background Check Laws