The White House is taking steps to stymie state’s efforts to regulate the development of Artificial Intelligence, according to a new report.
Illinois has been particularly active, Axios noted, with one bill requiring a third-party audit of AI safety measures. Other pending legislation would regulate how AI could be used in hiring, banning any practices that could be discriminatory based on factors such as race or a person’s zip code.
Other states that have passed AI laws include California and New York.
Axios reported that all of that activity at the state level has put pressure on the Trump administration to pass a federal initiative to preempt state laws that might be regulate the industry more that the administration would like.
In essence, AI companies would like federal action that would override the state laws. In exchange, according to Axios, Congress is hoping to get the passage of online safety legislation focused on children.
According to Axios, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., is leading the negotiations.
“Senator Blackburn is spearheading the negotiation with the White House to finalize legislative text of an AI preemption package that includes protections for kids, creators, and communities through the Senate version of KOSA, the NO FAKES Act, and age verification requirements,” a Blackburn spokesperson told the outlet.
This week, Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), proposed their own federal legislation. The Great American AI Act would seek to create a national framework for AI development, although Axios noted that this does not appear to be the administration’s preferred path for legislation.
“The threats AI poses to our national security, our safety, and our workforce are here and growing by the day. This bipartisan framework is designed to meet the challenges posed by this rapidly advancing technology without smothering American innovation. It protects workers, establishes real accountability for the most powerful frontier systems, and positions the United States to set the global standard on AI,” Trahan said.
“This discussion draft is the product of ongoing bipartisan conversations, which we hope to build upon with input from workers, researchers, stakeholders, and members of the public, all of whom have an interest in getting this right,” she said.
Axios reported that past efforts by Republicans to preempt state efforts with federal law have generated opposition from both state lawmakers and political activists. Opponents have argued that states should be free to regulate as they see fit.
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