EPIC Joins Over 140 Organizations in Opposing Ban on State AI Regulation

EPIC joined Demand Progress and over 140 other organizations in a letter opposing U.S. House Republicans’ inclusion of a provision that would ban state and local laws regulating artificial intelligence in a megabill advanced by the Budget Committee late Sunday.

“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,” the organizations wrote. “Fortunately,‬ ‭ states across the nation, on a bipartisan basis, have pioneered thoughtful frameworks that‬ ‭ promote transparency, accountability, safety, and fairness in AI deployment.”

“A 10-year ban on state legislators’ ability to pass AI laws is a gift to Big Tech, allowing them to continue building the unproven, discriminatory AI systems that are already harming Americans,” said Alan Butler, Executive Director at EPIC. “We’ve seen this playbook before – AI developers will then tell Congress that their systems are too complex to regulate. States are already acting to prevent AI-driven harms, and Congress must reject this proposal to preserve states’ rights to enact laws that protect their residents.”