Amid a rapidly expanding patchwork of state AI laws, Colorado Governor Jared Polis recently signed a bill that shifts the state’s approach from broad AI regulation to a targeted focus on automated decision-making technologies and their potential to materially affect consequential decisions across sectors. Two weeks later, Connecticut enacted an AI law with a broader framework addressing a wide range of AI-related issues, including employment uses, AI companions and synthetic content watermarking. With insights from experts at Ballard Spahr, DLA Piper, Fisher Phillips, Holland & Knight and the senator who sponsored the Connecticut law, this first article in a two-part series summarizes and contrasts the two new laws. Part two will provide practical compliance guidance. See “Staying Compliant After State AI Laws EO Introduces Regulatory Uncertainty” (Jan. 28, 2026).