Republicans in the US Congress have proposed a bill that would ban some states from passing laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems for 10 years. The bill is part of a budget that allows it to be passed more quickly without the 60-vote requirement in the Senate, The Verge reports.
The bill, introduced by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, would prohibit states from imposing any “legal barriers” to AI systems, including restrictions on design, performance, liability and documentation. The definition would not only apply to chatbots but also to algorithms that influence search results, navigation, medical diagnoses and court decisions.
Critics, including Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), called it a “big giveaway” to big tech companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Alphabet, which oppose state-level regulation. ARI warns that the bill could block more than 500 legislative initiatives proposed in 2025, including laws on child safety for chatbots, restrictions on deepfake content, and transparency in the use of AI in political advertising.
Democrats opposed this initiative and stated that the ban would allow companies to ignore consumer privacy protections and distribute deepfake content.
The bill could face challenges in the Senate due to a rule that only allows financial matters to be included in budget bills. However, the idea of centralizing AI regulation has raised concerns among human rights advocates and the tech community about the future control of the technology.