Wisconsin AI Laws: What's Enacted and What's Next (2027)

As of November 2026, Wisconsin has not enacted a comprehensive AI law. Its AI-related statutes are targeted: 2023 Wisconsin Act 123 (AB 664) requires AI disclosures in political ads, 2023 Act 224 (SB 314, Wis. Stat. 948.125) covers obscene virtual child pornography, 2025 Act 34 (SB 33) covers synthetic intimate representations, and 2025 Act 69 (AB 456) adds a real estate advertising disclosure scheduled for January 1, 2027.

This page covers Wisconsin state law on artificial intelligence. Deepfakes and AI meeting recorders get short summaries here and have their own pages. For other states and the national picture, see our guide to state and federal AI laws.

Wisconsin AI Laws at a Glance

2023 Act 123: AI Disclosure in Wisconsin Political Ads (AB 664)

Act 123, enacted March 21, 2024, defines synthetic media as "audio or video content that is substantially produced in whole or in part by means of generative artificial intelligence." It reaches communications otherwise covered by the attribution rules in Wis. Stat. 11.1303(2)(a) or (b) that contain express advocacy, issue advocacy or a referendum position.

Audio must say "Contains content generated by AI" at the beginning and end. Video must carry a disclosure, such as "This video content generated by AI," throughout each portion containing synthetic media.

"Whoever intentionally violates" these rules faces a forfeiture of up to $1,000 per violation, enforced as provided under Wis. Stat. 11.1400(5). A broadcaster or other host or carrier is not liable unless it is a committee responsible for the communication. See our Wisconsin deepfake laws page.

Wis. Stat. 948.125: Virtual Child Pornography (2023 Act 224)

Wis. Stat. 948.125, created by 2023 Act 224, does not say "artificial intelligence." It covers obscene material, including a "digital or computer-generated image or picture," that contains a "depiction of a purported child," defined as "a visual representation that appears to depict an actual child but may or may not depict an actual child."

The offense reaches anyone who "receives, distributes, produces, or possesses, or accesses in any way with the intent to view" that material. The person must know they did so, and must know or reasonably should know it contains such a depiction. "Obscene material" must meet all three parts of the statute's obscenity test.

It is a Class D felony, or a Class I felony if the actor is under 18. Wis. Stat. 939.50(3) sets Class D at up to $100,000, 25 years, or both, and Class I at up to $10,000, 3 years and 6 months, or both. Wis. Stat. 939.617(1) also requires a bifurcated sentence with at least 3 years of confinement in prison. That minimum does not apply if the offender was under 18 when the violation occurred.

United States v. Anderegg (7th Cir. 2026)

United States v. Anderegg, No. 25-1354, decided August 25, 2026, came from the Western District of Wisconsin. The government alleged the defendant made images with a generative AI program and conceded they did not depict an actual child.

The court affirmed dismissal of one count and concluded that 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b)(1), the federal possession statute, "is unconstitutional as applied to Anderegg," relying on Stanley v. Georgia and Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition. That count charged knowingly possessing an obscene visual depiction of a minor in sexually explicit conduct, where any depiction had moved in interstate or foreign commerce. The opinion treats it as in-home possession. The production, distribution and transfer counts were not dismissed.

This is a federal ruling on a federal statute. The opinion does not mention Wis. Stat. 948.125, and we found no ruling on that statute.

The opinion treats material involving actual children differently, under Osborne v. Ohio. We did not confirm whether rehearing or further review has been sought.

2025 Act 34: Synthetic Intimate Representations

Act 34, enacted October 2, 2025, uses the words "technological means," not AI. A synthetic intimate representation is "generated using technological means" using an identifiable person's face, likeness or other distinguishing characteristic, and is "so realistic that a reasonable person would believe it depicts conduct of the identifiable person."

Under Wis. Stat. 942.09(2)(am)4., posting, publishing, distributing or exhibiting one "with intent to coerce, harass, or intimidate that person" is a Class I felony. A Class H felony applies where the person depicted was under 18. The Wisconsin deepfake laws page covers the details and exemptions.

2025 Act 69: AI-Altered Real Estate Advertising

Act 69, enacted December 9, 2025, is a broader real estate practice law with one AI provision. Wis. Stat. 452.136(1m) reads: "A licensee shall in all advertising disclose if the advertising has been altered or modified using technology, including artificial intelligence, to add, remove, or change elements of the property, that creates a false or misleading impression of the property."

The rule covers licensees under the real estate chapter, not advertisers in general. It reaches alterations that create a false or misleading impression, not every use of AI. Section 9 of the act says it takes effect January 1, 2027.

Insurance: The OCI AI Bulletin (March 18, 2025)

The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance bulletin, "The Use of Artificial Intelligence Systems in Insurance," says insurers "are expected to develop, implement, and maintain a written program." That program "should address governance, risk management controls, and internal audit functions." It also speaks to notice to impacted consumers that AI systems are in use.

A bulletin states a regulator's expectations under existing law. It is not a new law, though it says nothing in it "limits the authority of OCI to conduct any regulatory investigation, examination, or enforcement action."

Wisconsin Task Force and Study Committee on AI

Executive Order 211, signed August 23, 2023, created the Governor's Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence. It set its final meeting for July 22, 2024. Its work was advisory.

The Legislative Council's study committee met five times in 2024 and issued its report on February 18, 2025. Its recommendations include "Avoid Comprehensive AI Legislation and Prioritize High-Risk Areas" and "Ensure That Existing Laws Apply to AI Models." Those are recommendations, not law.

Wisconsin AI Bills That Failed (2025-2026)

AB 840 is a data center bill, not an AI regulation bill. An AI Regulatory Review Council appeared only in a substitute amendment that was ruled not germane, and the bill itself failed. AB 959 and SB 932 (legal status of AI) and AB 292 and SB 295 (AI or machine translation in court) failed to pass the same way on March 23, 2026. AB 377, which paired English as the official language with AI translation in lieu of interpreters, failed to concur that day.

AI in Hiring, Health Care and Other Areas in Wisconsin

We did not find an enacted Wisconsin statute written specifically for AI in hiring, AI in health care, companion chatbots or frontier AI models. We opened the bill pages above and ran keyword searches on a stored copy of the Wisconsin Statutes retrieved July 29, 2026.

That search would not show a law enacted later or a provision worded in other terms. A title scan is not enough here: Act 69's title never mentions AI, and only the statute text showed it. Laws that do not mention AI can still apply to AI use.

AI Note-Takers and Recording in Wisconsin

AI meeting assistants raise a recording-consent question. See our Wisconsin AI meeting recording laws page for how Wisconsin law applies to them.

How Federal AI Policy Affects Wisconsin

As of November 4, 2026, we found no federal statute in the public laws of the 119th Congress that sets general rules for private AI systems or generally preempts state AI laws. In December 2025, Executive Order 14365 directed federal agencies to challenge or discourage state AI laws the administration views as conflicting with national policy, and called for a federal framework from Congress. The order itself does not declare any state law invalid. See our state AI law preemption tracker.

What Changes in Wisconsin AI Law in 2027

As of November 4, 2026, the one AI-related law we found scheduled to take effect in Wisconsin in 2027 is 2025 Act 69. We searched a stored copy of the statutes retrieved July 29, 2026, and the bill pages named above for the 2025 and 2026 sessions.

• January 1, 2027: Wis. Stat. 452.136(1m) is scheduled to take effect, adding the real estate advertising disclosure.
• Anderegg: The Seventh Circuit's ruling is dated August 25, 2026. We found no Wisconsin ruling applying it to Wis. Stat. 948.125.
• New Legislature: The 2026 AI bills above failed, and we found none still alive.

More Wisconsin Laws

• Wisconsin Recording Laws
• Wisconsin Data Privacy Laws
• Wisconsin Surveillance Camera Laws
• Wisconsin Background Check Laws
• Wisconsin Whistleblower Laws
• Wisconsin Deepfake Laws
• Wisconsin AI Meeting Recording Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Wisconsin have an AI law?

Wisconsin has no comprehensive AI law as of November 2026. It has targeted statutes on AI disclosure in political ads (2023 Act 123), obscene virtual child pornography (2023 Act 224) and synthetic intimate representations (2025 Act 34). A rule on altered real estate advertising (2025 Act 69) is scheduled for January 1, 2027.

Do Wisconsin political ads have to disclose AI?

Under 2023 Act 123, covered communications with synthetic media, meaning audio or video substantially produced in whole or in part by generative AI, must carry a disclosure. Whoever intentionally violates the rule faces a forfeiture of up to $1,000 per violation.

Is AI-generated child pornography illegal in Wisconsin?

Wis. Stat. 948.125 makes it a Class D felony, or Class I if the actor is under 18, to knowingly receive, distribute, produce, possess or access with intent to view obscene material containing a depiction of a purported child in sexually explicit conduct, including a computer-generated image. The statute does not use the word AI.

Did the Anderegg ruling strike down Wisconsin's law?

No. United States v. Anderegg concerned the federal statute 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b)(1), as applied to one defendant's in-home possession of obscene virtual images. The opinion does not mention Wis. Stat. 948.125, and we found no ruling on that statute.

Do Wisconsin real estate agents have to disclose AI-edited listing photos?

Wis. Stat. 452.136(1m), scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027, requires a licensee to disclose in advertising if it has been altered using technology, including AI, to add, remove or change elements of the property in a way that creates a false or misleading impression of the property.

Does Wisconsin regulate AI in insurance?

The Commissioner of Insurance's March 18, 2025 bulletin says insurers are expected to maintain a written AI program. It is guidance, and it says it does not limit the agency's investigation, examination or enforcement authority.