President Trump Issues Executive Order on AI Regulation
President Trump has signed an executive order designed to prevent individual states from enforcing their own artificial intelligence (AI) regulations. The order was signed in the Oval Office.
Administration's Position
White House AI adviser David Sacks indicated that the executive order aims to provide the Trump administration with tools to address state-level rules characterized as "onerous." Sacks also stated that regulations concerning children's safety within AI would not be opposed by the government.
President Trump commented from the Oval Office, stating, "We want to have one central source of approval."
Industry Perspective
Leaders of AI companies have advocated for uniform, federal AI legislation. They argue that diverse state-level regulations could impede innovation and potentially affect the United States' competitive standing in the global AI industry, an area currently receiving significant investment.
Opposition and State Actions
This executive order has faced opposition. California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose state hosts numerous major technology firms, issued a statement criticizing the order. Newsom claimed, "Today, President Trump continued his ongoing grift in the White House, attempting to enrich himself and his associates, with a new executive order seeking to preempt state laws protecting Americans from unregulated AI technology."
Earlier this year, California enacted legislation that mandates significant AI developers to outline plans for mitigating risks associated with their AI models. Governor Newsom has suggested this state law could serve as a template for national lawmakers.
Other states, including Colorado and New York, have also implemented laws regulating AI development.
Critics' Arguments
Critics of the executive order argue that state laws are necessary, particularly in the absence of robust federal safeguards. Julie Scelfo, representing the advocacy group Mothers Against Media Addiction, stated, "Stripping states from enacting their own AI safeguards undermines states' basic rights to establish sufficient guardrails to protect their residents."