Trump signs executive order limiting states ability to regulate AI

by · UPI

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday night that limits states' ability to regulate artificial intelligence companies.

The order is designed "to sustain and enhance the United States' global AI dominance through a minimally burdensome national policy framework for AI," according to a release on the White House website.

"To win, United States AI companies must be free to innovate without cumbersome regulation," the order says. "But excessive State regulation thwarts this imperative."

Trump has been a strong proponent of U.S. leadership in AI development, and said at the executive order signing ceremony Thursday night that AI companies "want to be in the United States, and they want to do it here, and we have big investment coming. But if they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you could forget it."

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The order instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi to establish an "AI Litigation Task Force" within 30 days whose "sole responsibility shall be to challenge State AI laws" that don't align with the Trump administration's minimal approach to regulation.

It could also revise existing state laws, and directs Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to identify state laws that "require AI models to alter their truthful outputs," which aligns with Trump's efforts to prevent what he describes as "woke AI."

Trump has also used federal funding as an incentive to encourage states with such laws not to enforce them. Under terms of the executive order, federal AI law would preempt state regulations. State AI laws designed to protect children would not be affected.

The executive order comes after congress voted in July and November against creating a similar policy.

Critics of the plan created by the executive order call it an attempt to block meaningful regulation on AI and say congress is not equipped to replace state-specific laws with a single, nationwide standard.

Tech companies have been supportive of efforts to limit the power of states to regulate AI. The executive order marks a victory for tech companies like Google and OpenAI, which have launched campaigns through a super PAC, and have as much as $100 million to spend in an effort to shape the outcome of next year's midterm elections.

The order is also seen as a move to thwart Democrat-led states such as California and New York from exerting state laws over AI development