Republicans seek to boost AI while tightening grip on social media and online speech
House Republicans have introduced a legislative package that includes a ten-year moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence (AI) regulations, consolidating AI oversight at the federal level. Embedded in a broader reconciliation bill encompassing Republican priorities on health care, energy, and the environment, the proposal would prevent states from enacting new AI laws and roll back existing ones. Proponents argue federal regulation will foster innovation and strengthen the U.S. competitive edge against China. Tech leaders like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Microsoft President Brad Smith have expressed concern that inconsistent state rules could hinder AI development.
Critics—including consumer advocates, Democrats, and tech watchdogs—decry the move as a giveaway to the tech industry and a potential threat to privacy and accountability. They argue it contradicts Republicans’ usual support for states’ rights and warn it could allow harmful and discriminatory uses of AI to go unchecked. The bill’s passage could be expedited due to its inclusion in a reconciliation package, which requires only a simple Senate majority. The proposal follows the recent dismissal of the U.S. Copyright Office head, sparking fears of weakened oversight just as federal and state efforts to regulate AI gain momentum.
