WASHINGTON—President Trump on Thursday moved to rein in state-level oversight of artificial intelligence, signing an executive order that sets up a federal task force to challenge state AI laws the Administration says could slow innovation and undermine U.S. competitiveness with China, the Associated Press reported.
The order reflects the White House’s view that a growing patchwork of state regulations could hamper investment and development in a fast-moving industry. Lawmakers from both parties, along with civil liberties and consumer advocates, have argued stronger oversight is needed, warning existing safeguards are insufficient for the rapidly advancing technology, AP explained.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, framed the issue as a global race for dominance in artificial intelligence, pointing to China’s centralized approval process as an advantage. “There’s only going to be one winner,” he said, arguing that U.S. companies face unnecessary hurdles if forced to navigate dozens of state rules.
“We have the big investment coming, but if they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you can forget it because it’s impossible to do,” Trump said.
Under the order, the attorney general is directed to create a new task force to challenge state AI regulations, while the Commerce Department is tasked with identifying laws deemed problematic. The directive also warns that states with AI rules could face restrictions on funding from broadband deployment and other federal grant programs, AP reported.