President Donald Trump is considering pressuring states to stop regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in a draft executive order obtained by The Associated Press. Some in Congress are also considering whether to temporarily block states from regulating AI.
Mr. Trump and several Republican lawmakers have argued that state rules already enacted and those that may be enacted risk stifling innovation and growth. Critics from all parties, along with civil liberties and consumer rights groups, have warned that rolling back state regulation would favor big AI companies, which currently face little oversight.
Colorado, California, Utah and Texas have passed laws setting the rules for AI in the private sector, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals. These laws limit the collection of certain personal information and require greater transparency. These come in response to the growing role of AI in decision-making about jobs, housing, loans, and healthcare, with research showing that bias and mistakes can occur.
“As a human, you can ask, ‘Please explain how you came to that conclusion,'” said Calli Schroeder, director of EPIC’s AI and Human Rights Program. You can’t ask an AI such a question, and half the time the programmers couldn’t answer it either. ”
Some states have gone further, regulating certain uses of AI, such as banning deepfakes in elections and non-consensual pornography, or establishing rules for government use of AI.
The draft order would direct federal agencies to identify burdensome state AI regulations and to pressure them not to enact them, possibly by withholding federal funding or challenging the laws in court. It will also begin developing a lighter national framework that would override state regulations.
President Trump has argued that the patchwork of regulations in the 50 states is hindering the growth of AI and risks allowing China to catch up. He also argued that state regulations are creating “woke AI.”
A senior administration official said on condition of anonymity that the plan is preliminary and subject to change, but that Trump is expected to sign the order on Friday.
Separately, House Republican leaders are discussing a proposal to temporarily block states from regulating AI. Majority Leader Steve Scalise told Punchbowl News this week that details are still unclear.
TechNet, which represents companies such as Google and Amazon, argued that suspending state regulations would help small AI companies and allow time to build a national framework that “balances innovation and accountability.”
Previous attempts by Republicans to ban state regulation of AI have stalled, in part due to opposition within the party. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week called such a move “unacceptable,” arguing it was a subsidy to Big Tech that would prevent the state from protecting the state from predatory apps targeting children and censorship of political speech.
“Americans don’t want AI to be discriminatory, unsafe or hallucinatory,” said Cody Wehnke, senior policy advisor at the ACLU. “No one has an interest in winning the AI race when it comes to AI that can’t be trusted.”
– AP
