Former President Donald Trump has urged for a halt to excessive state-level regulations regarding artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting concerns that such rules could jeopardize the U.S. economy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticized what he referred to as the “wokeness of AI,” pointing out the inconsistent regulations across different states. He expressed that AI investments are crucial for maintaining the U.S. economy’s position as one of the strongest in the world.
“While these investments are vital, overregulation at the state level could hinder this growth. Some states are even trying to infuse DEI ideology into AI models, which could lead to a problematic ‘Woke AI.’ We need a single federal standard instead of a confusing landscape of 50 different regulations,” he stated.
Trump’s remarks coincided with indications from House Republican leaders about the possibility of integrating AI preemption language into the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act. This would prevent states from enforcing their own AI regulations.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise mentioned that Republicans are exploring this approach to avoid what he described as “regulatory chaos” arising from varying state laws.
Trump is pushing for a cohesive national framework that aligns with his broader initiative, “Win the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan.” Under an executive order from July, federal agencies are directed to avoid acquiring AI systems that compromise truth and accuracy for ideological reasons, while also adhering to fair AI principles.
In February, Vice President J.D. Vance supported Trump’s views at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, stating, “I believe excessive AI regulation could jeopardize an industry undergoing significant transformation.”
However, some Republican voices, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have expressed reservations. DeSantis cautioned against overriding state authority, suggesting it could benefit large tech companies and hinder state-level protections against issues like censorship and data management.
In another development, during a White House visit, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman committed to nearly $1 trillion in investments in the U.S. economy within the next year.
Meanwhile, Senator Elizabeth Warren raised concerns regarding potential government funding for AI companies like OpenAI. She pointed out that such a move might lead the government to feel compelled to support these companies if they face financial difficulties.
