Senators Reject Proposal for 10-Year Ban on State AI Regulations

Senators Reject Proposal for 10-Year Ban on State AI Regulations

Recently, U.S. Senators voted to remove a 10-year ban on state regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) from a large bill proposed by President Trump. This decision is important because it means states can still create their own rules regarding AI. The vote took place early Tuesday and was overwhelmingly in favor of removing the ban, with a score of 99-1.

Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee pushed to remove the ban. She had previously disagreed with her party on this issue. Several companies, like OpenAI and Google, wanted to keep the ban. They argued that having different state rules could limit innovation and create confusion, making it harder for them to work on new AI technologies.

However, many critics, including voices from both political parties, felt that the moratorium was simply a way to delay any regulations on AI. They noted that Congress hasn’t updated tech laws in a long time, and allowing a ban on state regulations could mean that there would be no rules governing AI at all.

The section that was rejected had been changed to meet budget rules. It included conditions for federal funding related to infrastructure, which also tied in the moratorium on state-level regulations.

Senator Blackburn, known for her criticism of big tech, led efforts against the ban. She stated, “This provision could allow Big Tech to continue to exploit kids, creators, and conservatives.” She believes states should be able to protect their residents until more comprehensive federal laws, like the Kids Online Safety Act, are passed.

Democrats in the Senate were pleased with the vote’s outcome. Senator Ed Marey from Massachusetts commented that the strong vote shows Congress will not prioritize the interests of big tech over the well-being of children and local communities. He expressed hope for developing responsible regulations for AI in the future.

Max Tegmark, an AI safety expert and president of the Future of Life Institute, also welcomed the senators’ decision. He pointed out that some tech CEOs have admitted they cannot control the systems they create. Therefore, the notion of giving these companies immunity from oversight posed a real danger to families and jobs in America.

Senator Thom Tillis was the only lawmaker who voted to keep the ban on state-level regulations.

Senators are currently working on finalizing the budget bill so that President Trump can sign it by his self-imposed deadline of July 4.