The conversation about AI, law, and public policy continues this fall and into 2027 through two events hosted by the Florida State University College of Law.

November 20, 2026 | C-LAW-D: Homecoming Edition – In person or virtual

Conclude the fall with C-LAW-D, bringing together leaders and practitioners for a timely conversation about how AI and emerging technologies are shaping the future of law, leadership, and innovation. The program will explore the legal and practical challenges of navigating a rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Florida enters the 2026 general election with an active AI-policy debate but without a single comprehensive state statute addressing every aspect of artificial intelligence. The Legislature considered AI consumer-protection proposals that did not become law, enacted legislation addressing data centers and large-load users, and the Attorney General pursued litigation against an AI company. Meanwhile, the gubernatorial candidates have offered different approaches to the pace and oversight of data-center development.

The election is a useful moment to review AI-related legal exposure and policy assumptions. Regardless of which candidates win, several issues are likely to remain relevant to Florida organizations.

Consumer protection and representations. Organizations should ensure that claims about AI capabilities, outputs and limitations are accurate and that existing consumer-protection requirements are not overlooked merely because a product uses AI.

Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Legislature

The governor is not the only elected official who can affect Florida’s AI policy. The Attorney General, chief financial officer, commissioner of agriculture and members of the Florida Legislature may all influence the legal and operational environment in which AI is developed and used. The relevant roles differ.

California SB 53 and Texas HB 149

Florida’s choices are easier to evaluate when compared with other states. California and Texas offer useful examples of different approaches, although neither is a perfect template for Florida.

Florida’s Lawsuit Against OpenAI

The Florida Attorney General’s office has taken a more direct legal approach to AI through litigation. In June 2026, Florida filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and related defendants. The complaint, filed in the Circuit Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit in Highlands County, advances the state’s allegations concerning the company and its chatbot. The Attorney General’s office described the action as a first-in-the-nation state-led lawsuit.

Byron Donalds and David Jolly

CS/SB 482, HB 1395, HB 659, and SB 484

Florida’s 2026 legislative session produced a mix of proposed AI protections, measures that did not advance, and legislation addressing the infrastructure needed to support AI and other high-demand computing activities.

The proposed AI Bill of Rights

CS/SB 482, the Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights, was a major AI-related proposal considered during the 2026 session. The Senate passed the bill on March 4, 2026, by a vote of 35–2. The House did not pass it, and the measure died in messages on March 13.

Candidates, the Legislative Record, and the State-to-State Divide

Guest Perspective | By Emily Cabrera

Florida’s AI fights are only part of this election. Nationally, three questions are in play: who gets to regulate AI, who is paying to shape the answer, and what voters are allowed to believe.