University of Florida Students Work to Create Nationwide AI Regulation Dashboard
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A team of students from the University of Florida is undertaking an ambitious project to track the increasing number of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related regulations as various state governments respond to the rapidly evolving industry.
Creating an AI Regulation Dashboard
Led by Fátima Palacios Figueroa and supported by four undergraduate peers, the team aims to create a comprehensive dashboard that will help policymakers and professionals navigate the diverse AI regulations being enacted across the United States.
Utilizing various AI models, the students have already tracked thousands of bills and plan to release the information via a dedicated website later this year. “Our goal is just to have a resource, hopefully eventually a website, where policymakers or researchers can come and see a visual of what states are doing, what types of themes they’re focusing on,” said Palacios Figueroa.
The project has garnered support from faculty adviser Mark Jamison, director of the Public Utility Research Center. He noted that individuals in AI companies and think tanks have expressed difficulty understanding the myriad of policies being enacted nationwide.
Data Collection and Analysis
The team began their research by collecting information on bills from 2024 and 2025 using the National Conference of State Legislatures’ AI Legislation Database. They meticulously mapped these bills by state, topic, and the political party of the sponsor.
“Right now, [state policymakers] are very focused on public sector governance, which is how state governments themselves are using AI and how they should be going about it. And they’re very focused on consumer protection,” Palacios Figueroa explained.
As they analyze the collected data, a notable trend has emerged: “A lot of the bills that are being passed are focused on things that the public understands. So, that would be AI use rather than training models. You don’t really see any regulation on AI, how you train models, which I think is really interesting,” she added.
AI Regulation in Florida
Data from the project indicates that states like New York, California, and Texas are leading in terms of the volume of AI regulations, in contrast to Florida.
AI regulation has been a significant focus for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ahead of the 2026 legislative session. However, conflicts between legislative chambers have thwarted two high-profile attempts to impose limits on AI companies. For instance, Senate Bill 482, known as the Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights, passed overwhelmingly in the Senate but failed to advance from committee in the House.
Moreover, recent events have drawn attention to AI regulation in Florida, as the family of a victim from the Florida State University shooting filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the accused shooter utilized ChatGPT to gather information about firearms and mass shootings. Following this, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an investigation into OpenAI based on the released chat logs of the shooter.
AI University
University leaders have branded UF as an “AI University” due to significant investments in AI technology, collaborations with industry leaders, and AI-focused educational programs.
Mark Jamison commented on the project, stating, “This type of project that’s student-led really gives ambitious, bright students a lot of opportunities to lead and be on the cutting edge, and these have done it well.”
The initiative has enabled the team to enhance their skills with AI technology. To facilitate their study of AI policy, they utilized tools such as Google Gemini, OpenAI (ChatGPT), and Microsoft Copilot to analyze legislation effectively.
“We’re doing our research on AI, but we’re also learning, in that process, we’re learning the best ways to use AI as a tool in our research,” concluded Palacios Figueroa.
