That's the number of U.S. states and territories — all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C. — that introduced artificial intelligence legislation in 2025, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The wave of activity reflects how quickly AI has moved from novelty to daily reality in government. A 2024 Ernst & Young survey found that 51 percent of federal, state and local government employees were already using an AI application daily or several times a week. Pilot programs are now running in many states, with California reporting that a state AI assistant has saved employees "hundreds of hours" on water resources permitting alone, though how governments regulate, fund and oversee those tools remains an open question.
