Big Tech wins in delay of Colorado's AI transparency bill

State of play: In the special legislative session, state Sen. Robert Rodriguez, the Democratic majority leader, offered legislation to streamline current AI rules on consumer disclosure and hold companies developing and using the technology liable for harm and discrimination.

• His move clashed with pro-business Democrats who wanted to limit liability in a competing bill.
• Rodriguez and critics struck a series of compromises amid the debate — only to see them blow up hours later.

The latest: In the end, lawmakers only found common ground to delay the AI law's implementation to June 30, 2026, rather than next February. This will give lawmakers time to address the issue in next year's session.

• The neutered bill is expected to win final approval Tuesday and go to the governor's desk.

The other side: Those lobbying against the bill declared victory.

• "We thank Sen. Rodriguez for amending his bill and allowing Colorado businesses more time to work on the current AI law instead of pushing bad policy through a rushed special session process," Colorado Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Loren Furman said in a statement.

By the numbers: More than 100 companies and organizations hired roughly 150 lobbyists to shape Rodriguez's bill, according to an Axios Denver analysis of state records through Tuesday.

• Those that hired multiple lobbyists included Amazon, major health care companies and TechNet, a coalition of tech CEOs.

The bottom line: Sen. Julie Gonzales (D-Denver) remarked on the pressure just before she supported the dialed-back bill.

• The 35-member Senate has "witnessed the stunning brunt of AI leverage," she said.