As part of the Budget Resolution (need to follow up and see what's passed and where it is at the moment...but dropping this here for important reference), Republicans snuck in a sentence that would preemptively block states and local laws from any governing & regulation of artificial intelligence. Completely. For 10 years.
This is a 2.15-page .pdf letter, signed by >140 organizations saying (extremely simply), "PLEASE. Don't." Some quotes:
As we have learned during other periods of rapid technological advancement, like the industrial revolution and the creation of the automobile, protecting people from being harmed by new technologies, including by holding companies accountable when they cause harm, ultimately spurs innovation and adoption of new technologies.
This total immunity provision blocks enforcement of all state and local legislation governing AI systems, AI models, or automated decision systems for a full decade, despite those states moving those protections through their legislative processes, which include input from stakeholders, hearings, and multistakeholder deliberations.
Congress’s inability to enact comprehensive legislation enshrining AI protections leaves millions of Americans more vulnerable to existing threats described above such as discrimination and all of us exposed to the unpredictable safety risks posed by this nascent industry
No person, no matter their politics, wants to live in a world where AI makes life-or-death decisions without accountability. This is underscored by the fact that state attorneys general, from all 50 states, have warned Congress1 that AI has been used to harm children including through child sexual abuse material.
You must reject this sweeping proposal. Americans deserve both meaningful federal protections and the ability of their states to lead in advancing safety, fairness, and accountability when AI systems cause harm.