Attorney General Charity Clark has spearheaded a coalition of 40 attorneys general in opposing a budget amendment that would prevent states from enforcing laws related to artificial intelligence (AI). The amendment, introduced by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, seeks to impose a 10-year ban on state enforcement of AI and automated decision-making systems regulations. Critics argue that this move would remove crucial state protections without establishing an effective federal regulatory framework.
Clark emphasized the risks posed by unregulated AI, including threats such as explicit material, election interference, deception, exploitation, and harassment. She stated that "AI is a new frontier for consumer protection," highlighting the importance of safeguarding elections, protecting consumers from scams, and preserving data privacy.
The letter to Congress stresses that state laws have been crafted with input from various stakeholders over many years. It warns against leaving AI unregulated at any level, which could expose Americans to its potential harms. The bipartisan group of attorneys general urged Congress to reject the proposed AI moratorium.
Joining Attorney General Clark in leading this effort are the attorneys general of Colorado, Tennessee, and New Hampshire. The letter is also supported by attorneys general from numerous states and territories including American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Utah U.S Virgin Islands Virginia Washington Wisconsin.