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 “Updating Compliance Programs to Address the CPPA’s Regulations on ADMT and Risk Assessments” (Sep. 17, 2025).