A review of the world’s AI laws, to help us not get replaced by a software update…

Jun 30, 2025

Picture a world where AI can do everything: write, design, interview, maybe even babysit (okay, let’s not go there). Now imagine exercising at home, coaching AI models at the office, and wondering if your next co-worker is a human or a humming server rack…

How’s that sounding so far?

With AI’s rapid advancement, many ask — are there laws to protect my job? Today we journey through the globe to see where legal safeguards exist, where they’re missing, and how we can craft rules that shield humans without throttling innovation. I do not think we can stop AI. Just like we couldn’t stop the internet when it exploded unto the scene….and so many other innovations the world has seen in the last 30, 40 years. But I do believe proper regulations are needed to safeguard AI’s usage and potential impact on the general populace. It has already raced past existing laws but some governments are hot on its heels.

Where the Law Still Slumbers — And Where It’s Awake

🗽 United States: State-Level Sparks

In the U.S., federal law lags — but states are stepping forward. Illinois’ Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act (2023) mandates the disclosure of AI use in hiring and independent bias audits. New York City’s Bias Audit Law (Local Law 144) requires annual audits for AI tools used in employment decision-making.

Colorado’s Artificial Intelligence Act, effective February 1 2026, takes it further: any employer using AI for hiring or HR must conduct an impact assessment that includes audits for algorithmic discrimination.

Canada, Oh Canada

Canada has no dedicated AI law yet — but federal and provincial actions fill important gaps. Ontario now requires job ads to disclose AI use in hiring. Quebec’s Bill 64 mandates consent and transparency for automated decisions, with a right to contest them. The federal labour committee recently recommended retraining mandates for AI-displaced workers and data collection to track labor impacts.

EU: Humans In, Not Out

The EU AI Act (2024) tackles more than just AI behavior — it ensures worker protections. Employers using “high-risk” AI (e.g., for scoring or surveillance) must introduce human oversight and safeguard systems against algorithmic bias. Social scoring, emotion recognition, and biometric monitoring are all quite strictly controlled.

GDPR (Art. 22) already grants individuals a right to contest fully automated decisions, especially in employment.

UK: Guidance Over Legislation

I still need to get used to speaking of the United Kingdom separately from Europe, oh dear Lord. Anyway, Britain is mostly pro-innovation. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology released voluntary Responsible-AI hiring guidance in 2024, encouraging bias audits and transparency rather than punitive regulations.

China: Innovation With Boundaries

Beyond shocking the world with DeepSeek a few months ago, China has harnessed generative AI through interim measures that require watermarking, regulate training data, and adhere to socialist values. While not worker-focused, these rules impose naming and labeling duties that indirectly protect humans from outright displacement from jobs….I think.

What’s Missing — and What Could Help

The big problem? Many laws focus on hiring bias or privacy — not job displacement. Few mandates require companies to retrain, reposition, or compensate workers if AI replaces them.

Here are clauses that should be implemented worldwide:

  • Mandatory Redeployment & Training: If AI replaces a role, employers must offer retraining or redeployment options before layoffs.
  • AI Use Notification & Consultation: Workers must be informed when AI is introduced to their roles and consulted on its impact.
  • Job Impact Assessments: Like environmental impact reports, AI deployment should be preceded by job displacement assessments.
  • Retention of Human Oversight: High-risk tools must have a human in the loop; fully automated decision-making in employment should be banned.
  • Transparency & Auditability: AI used in HR must be disclosed, bias-audited annually, and open to challenge or appeal by affected workers.

I know this is a bit of a wishlist but I am an eternal optimist. These steps can contain AI’s disruption without dampening innovation — software can still evolve, but humans shouldn’t be walked over in the process.

Why It Matters — and How You Can Protect Yourself

AI is fast. Law is slow. The is the current reality we seem to find ourselves in. So until the law catches up, you should:

  • Upskill strategically: Focus on AI literacy, critical thinking, emotional intelligence — skills machines can’t mimic.
  • Promote your role: If you’re in HR, marketing, support — lead how AI is used.
  • Know your rights: Follow your state or country’s AI employment laws; if your employer dodges retraining or audit obligations, speak up.
  • Collective power works: Labour unions and worker councils can negotiate AI terms in hiring and tech clauses.

AI will reshape work for sure. But with smart laws in place, we humans can reshape how AI reshapes work.

Conclusion

Just because AI is powerful doesn’t mean it has to be ruthlessly deployed at our expense. Around the world, laws are being written and negotiated to balance tech with humanity.

We need global frameworks that say: yes, let’s do AI — but with safeguards for human dignity and livelihoods.

So let’s draft those clauses. Let’s demand them. And let us work, innovate, and live — together — with machines that assist but don’t erase. Yes, the movie iRobot just flashed before my eyes too :-).

Disclaimer:
This content, also shared on Law Bants, is for information and entertainment purposes only. It reflects personal opinions and does not constitute legal advice or create a lawyer-client relationship. If you need professional legal guidance, please consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.