What happened
On 22 September 2026, Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2026-07 establishing the Illinois Artificial Intelligence Cabinet, an unpaid advisory group of experts from academia, law, ethics, governance and state agencies. The Cabinet is charged with assessing AI risks to Illinois residents and critical infrastructure, advising on preparing for and responding to AI-related incidents, identifying safeguards for public assets/infrastructure, and formulating AI safety and accountability policy proposals through 2027.
Why it matters
Illinois is positioning itself as a second major US state-level AI regulator alongside New York (RAISE Act) and California (Newsom's 18 Sep executive order on mandatory kill-switches and accelerated AI oversight). Its Cabinet will feed concrete legislative proposals through 2027, and its treatment of AI data-centre energy demands and critical-infrastructure risk signals the regulatory direction for AI deployers operating in the state.
Action needed
AI developers and deployers with Illinois operations should expect state-level AI safety/accountability obligations to be proposed in 2026-2027; monitor Cabinet member appointments and the policy proposals it issues through 2027.