Trump's attack on state AI guardrails won't stop Minn. lawmakers
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Minnesota lawmakers backing new guardrails for generative AI say they'll push ahead with the proposals next year, even if President Trump follows through with an executive order meant to discourage state regulations.
Driving the news: Trump said Monday he'll sign an order this week to promote "one rulebook" for AI, rather than a patchwork of state laws.
- "You can't expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something. THAT WILL NEVER WORK!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, arguing that the move will help the U.S. get ahead of other nations.
What we're hearing: Sen. Erin Maye Quade (DFL-Apple Valley) told Axios that while she believes AI could be used for good, a lack of regulation is putting kids and others in danger.
- "What we're seeing is just rapid harm amongst the population, and state legislators are stepping up to do something about it," she said, citing reports of young people conversing with chatbots before taking their lives.
Zoom in: Legislation she's introduced would ban conversational chatbots — including AI-enabled toys — for minors, block "nudification" apps and require disclosure when the "person" on the other end of a chat or a phone system is AI, not human.
- All three bills have attracted a bipartisan co-author.
Zoom out: Maye Quade said while she'd prefer Congress pass one set of federal AI laws, she rejects the argument that state-level regulations like the ones she's proposed would stymie development in the meantime.
- "They don't need to release tech toys to kids that talk to them about sex in order to cure cancer," she said.
GOP Sen. Eric Lucero, who's signed onto several of the bills over privacy and civil liberty concerns, has a similar outlook.
- He told WCCO he recognizes the national security concerns related to the AI "space race," but said state lawmakers will "continue to press forward ... to protect individuals against the advancement of technology" until Congress steps in.
Between the lines: Trump's executive order isn't likely to block state AI laws outright.
- Instead, it's expected to attempt to gut state AI laws by launching legal challenges and conditioning federal grants on compliance.
What we're watching: Trump's approach, which has far less teeth than legislation, is expected to face legal challenges.
Axios' David Nather and Mackenzie Weinger contributed to this report.