Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) blasted a reported White House effort to block states from enacting their own artificial intelligence regulations on Thursday, arguing that federal preemption without a broader regulatory framework would amount to an “amnesty for Big Tech.”
DeSantis was responding to reports that the White House and congressional allies met to explore ways to revive legislation that would override certain state-level AI laws, possibly by attaching the proposal to other technology or online safety legislation.
Recommended Stories
The Trump administration has argued that a patchwork of state regulations could hamper innovation and undermine U.S. competitiveness in the global race to develop advanced AI systems.
“Preempting states re: AI without enacting a sensible federal framework is just an amnesty for Big Tech,” DeSantis posted on X in response to Politico’s report of the meeting. “Combined with a potential de facto bailout of OpenAI, it represents bad policy and even worse politics.”
The dispute highlights a growing divide between President Donald Trump and state lawmakers over AI policy. While Trump has pushed for a lighter-touch federal approach and has repeatedly sought to limit what he views as burdensome state regulations, DeSantis has emerged as the GOP’s most vocal advocate for stronger state-level oversight.
DeSantis, who has been floated as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, previously argued that Congress would need to enact any nationwide preemption of state AI laws and criticized efforts to prevent states from acting in the absence of federal standards. DeSantis has introduced an AI bill of rights, but the legislation ultimately failed when the Florida House declined to hear his proposal, siding with the White House.
Florida is also targeting AI on a legal front by going after Big Tech by targeting one of its biggest companies, OpenAI.
DESANTIS DEJA VU: FLORIDA GOVERNOR FOLLOWS FAMILIAR SCRIPT FROM FAILED 2024 CAMPAIGN
Attorney General James Uthmeier has opened an investigation into OpenAI for its role in allegedly aiding the suspect in a shooting at Florida State University. Uthmeier also filed a complaint against the company and its CEO, Sam Altman, that alleges the company knowingly put profits over consumer safety, making Florida the first state to target Altman in court.
The White House’s broader AI framework calls on Congress to establish a national regulatory approach while preempting state laws deemed overly burdensome to innovation. Administration officials have said such a system would prevent conflicting rules across dozens of states and help maintain American leadership in AI development.
