Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a bipartisan group of 39 attorneys general, has sent a letter to Congress opposing an amendment proposed by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. The amendment, part of the budget reconciliation bill, seeks to prevent states from enforcing laws or regulations concerning artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems for ten years.
Raoul stated, "As the highest legal officers in our respective states, we are already aware that AI is being used for nefarious purposes, including the creation of child sexual abuse material and attempted election interference." He urged Congress to reject the amendment to allow states flexibility in addressing threats from AI advancements.
The coalition's letter highlights the immediate dangers posed by AI, such as explicit content creation and election interference. In the absence of federal regulation, state legislatures and attorneys general have been leading efforts to prevent AI misuse and protect consumers.
The letter stresses that state laws have been developed through careful consideration involving input from various stakeholders. It warns that if enacted, the amendment would remove crucial state protections without providing a federal alternative. This could leave Americans vulnerable to AI-related risks.
Raoul's initiative is supported by attorneys general from American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Utah U.S. Virgin Islands Vermont Virginia Washington Wisconsin.