State regulator: Proposed 10-year moratorium on AI law enforcement is ‘extremely disconcerting’
A measure tucked in President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill making its way through Congress would effectively block states from enforcing artificial intelligence-related regulations for the next decade, a rule that’s alarming some followers of the tech world.
The proposed moratorium comes as AI extends into more areas of Americans’ lives — from health care and law enforcement to personal relationships and hiring. And despite Silicon Valley’s promises of super intelligence that solves the world’s problems, AI also poses major risks, such as putting humans out of work and spreading lies.
There’s no overarching federal law regulating AI, although Trump recently signed the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes sharing non-consensual explicit images, including those made by AI. But various states have passed AI laws, including around the use of deepfakes in elections and AI discrimination in hiring.
Those state laws would likely become unenforceable if Senate Republicans’ version of the “big, beautiful bill” makes it to President Donald Trump’s desk. Earlier this month, Senate Commerce Committee Republicans tied compliance with the moratorium to crucial federal funds for deploying internet infrastructure.
