Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a bipartisan group of state attorneys general in opposing a proposed amendment by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. The amendment, part of a budget reconciliation bill, seeks to impose a 10-year prohibition on states from enforcing any laws or regulations related to artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems.
"As AI technology rapidly advances, the threats it poses are coming into view," said Attorney General Mayes. "From displacing workers to guzzling precious water supplies and enabling fraud and exploitation, there is urgent work to be done to protect Arizonans from the dangers of this powerful technology. We must act now to establish guardrails and prevent harm from AI. Congress must not tie the hands of state leaders working to protect their residents and ensure the ethical development of this rapidly evolving technology."
The letter sent to Congress emphasizes that while AI holds potential for economic revolution and innovation, it also presents immediate dangers such as election interference, deception, exploitation, and harassment against consumers. In the absence of federal regulation, state legislatures have been at the forefront of ensuring consumer protection against AI abuses.
The coalition argues that if enacted, the amendment would remove essential state protections without providing an alternative federal framework. This could leave Americans vulnerable to known harms associated with AI technologies.
Led by attorneys general from Colorado, Tennessee, New Hampshire, and Vermont, Arizona Attorney General Mayes joins representatives from 35 other states in urging Congress to reject this moratorium on state-level AI regulation.