The Race
Who regulated what, and when
Ten years, three regulatory philosophies, one accelerating calendar. Brussels, Washington and Beijing on the same track from 2016 to 2026, so the order of events is a matter of looking rather than of argument.
- Years covered
- 2016 to 2026
- Events plotted
- 31
- Lanes
- 3
- Collisions
- 3
- Firsts settled
- 4
Exhibit one
The race, jurisdiction by jurisdiction
The same events as the desktop track, listed in date order for each lane.
European Union Β· 10 events
27 APR 2016
GDPR adopted
Art. 22's automated-decision right becomes the AI Act's legal ancestor.
APR 2019
Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI
The policy vocabulary is set: human agency, robustness, privacy, fairness.
21 APR 2021
AI Act proposed
First horizontal AI law attempt anywhere.
30 NOV 2022
ChatGPT launches
A GPAI chapter gets bolted onto the draft mid-negotiation.
8 DEC 2023
Trilogue deal
Facial-recognition bans and GPAI rules settled at the last minute.
1 AUG 2024
AI Act enters into force
AI Office already set up (Jan 2024).
2 FEB 2025
First wave bites
Prohibited practices banned EU-wide + AI-literacy duty.
2 AUG 2025
GPAI + governance + penalties in force
Code of Practice becomes the compliance route.
27 JUL 2026
Digital Omnibus in force
Reg. (EU) 2026/1744 defers high-risk duties to Dec 2027/Aug 2028.
2 AUG 2026 Β· NEXT UP
Transparency + GPAI enforcement switch on
Chatbots disclose, deepfakes labeled, Brussels can fine model providers.
United States Β· 10 events
OCT 2016
Obama OSTP report
First federal AI strategy framing.
11 FEB 2019
EO 13859
First AI executive order; innovation-first.
14 MAY 2019
San Francisco bans government facial recognition
First major US city to ban it.
1 JAN 2020
Illinois AIVIA
First US AI-hiring law (video interviews).
26 JAN 2023
NIST AI RMF 1.0
The durable cross-administration standard.
30 OCT 2023
Biden EO 14110
High-water mark of federal AI safety (revoked 2025).
17 MAY 2024
Colorado SB 24-205 signed
First comprehensive state AI law (later: stayed, repealed).
20 to 23 JAN 2025
The pivot
EO 14110 revoked; EO 14179 signed; deregulation begins.
JUL 2025
The deregulation summer
Senate 99 to 1 strips the state-law moratorium (1st); AI Action Plan released (23rd).
JAN to MAY 2026
State layer goes live; Colorado collapses
TRAIGA + CA laws in force 1 Jan; xAI suit, DOJ intervention, stay, repeal Apr to May.
China Β· 11 events
20 JUL 2017
New Generation AI Development Plan
Three-step roadmap to 2030 world leadership.
JUN 2019
Governance Principles
First soft-law AI ethics statement.
SEP to NOV 2021
Governance stack
Data Security Law + PIPL (Art. 24/26) enacted.
1 MAR 2022
Algorithm Recommendation Provisions
World's first operational algorithm registry opens.
10 JAN 2023
Deep Synthesis Provisions
First binding deepfake rules anywhere.
15 AUG 2023
GenAI Interim Measures
First national GenAI rulebook; pre-launch filing begins (61 services by year-end).
18 OCT 2023
Global AI Governance Initiative
Launched at the Belt & Road Forum.
1 JUN 2025
Facial Recognition Measures
Commercial FR restricted; 100k-faces filing duty.
26 JUL 2025
WAIC counter-offer
13-point Action Plan + proposed Global AI Cooperation Organization (Shanghai).
1 SEP 2025
Labeling Measures + GB 45438-2025
Dual explicit/implicit AI-content labels.
15 JUL 2026
Anthropomorphic AI Measures in force
Doubao/Qwen companion features shut down at the deadline.
Collisions
2023: China's GenAI filing regime opens while Washington drafts non-binding blueprints.
JUL 2025: US AI Action Plan (23rd) β China's Global Action Plan (26th): the counter-offer.
2 AUG 2026: Brussels transparency duties + California watermarking: same deadline.
Exhibit two
The firsts
Four claims to being first, each with the instrument that settles it and the runner up that did not.
First binding algorithm rules
Algorithm Recommendation Provisions
Runner up:EU AI Act proposed Apr 2021 but in force 2024; US: none comparable.
First deepfake law
Deep Synthesis Provisions
Runner up:US first federal content law only May 2025 (TAKE IT DOWN); EU Art. 50 duties 2 Aug 2026.
First horizontal, comprehensive AI statute
EU Artificial Intelligence Act
Runner up:CN: still unenacted; US: none federal; Colorado's never took effect.
First AI-companion rulebook
Anthropomorphic AI Measures
Runner up:US: CA SB 243 (Jan 2026) just behind; EU: none.
China regulated first and fastest, vertically. The EU regulated broadest, horizontally. The United States regulated last at the federal level and loudest at the state level.
Now watch the same three regimes rule on real AI
The calendar tells you who moved. The simulator tells you what each regime would do to a system you put in front of it, and the explorer gives you the text behind every verdict.
Knowing the order of events is the start. Working inside these rules is the job.