The government has no business in AI

Published June 7, 2026 6:00am ET



People worry about the ways artificial intelligence will change jobs, education, creativity, and daily lives, according to polling. But they harbor skepticism about the ability of government to regulate it — and rightfully so. 

Therefore, it’s particularly concerning when prominent thought leaders and lawmakers crusade for larger roles for the state in AI. For example, Ezra Klein, a futurist thinker and leading voice on the Left, has just proposed a government-developed “public option” AI model. Something like a government-provided or government-controlled AI entity that competes with private providers — AI.gov instead of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and so on. 

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