President Trump is set to revive a long-forsaken plan from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that aimed to restrict states with AI laws from receiving federal funding for broadband initiatives, potentially harming millions of Americans who rely on these networks.
As part of the draft executive order, titled "Eliminating State Law Obstruction of National AI Policy," the Trump administration would require the Department of Commerce to block states like California and Colorado, which have enacted their own AI laws, from accessing a significant portion of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This move could leave half of the funding allocated by Congress in 2021 unspent.
The plan, which was previously proposed by Cruz but ultimately failed to gain traction due to bipartisan opposition, would also require federal agencies to assess their discretionary grant programs and determine whether they may condition grants on states not enacting AI laws that conflict with the policy outlined in the order.
In a statement released yesterday, the Information revealed details about Trump's draft executive order. According to the document, the Secretary of Commerce is required to evaluate other state AI laws and identify those that require AI models to alter their truthful outputs or disclose information that would violate the First Amendment or other constitutional provisions.
Critics say this proposal represents a gross overreach by the federal government into states' affairs and could lead to unintended consequences for consumers. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) had previously opposed Cruz's plan, stating that it was premature and did not provide sufficient protections for state regulations on issues like robocalls and deepfakes.
Other lawmakers have also expressed concerns about the proposal, with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) arguing that it would preempt good consumer protection laws related to emerging technologies. The FTC chairman is required to issue a policy statement detailing circumstances under which state laws requiring alterations to AI model outputs are preempted by federal law.
The Trump administration's plan has sparked intense debate among lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about the need for a unified national framework on AI regulation and others warning that such measures could stifle innovation and hinder America's competitive edge in the tech industry.
As part of the draft executive order, titled "Eliminating State Law Obstruction of National AI Policy," the Trump administration would require the Department of Commerce to block states like California and Colorado, which have enacted their own AI laws, from accessing a significant portion of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This move could leave half of the funding allocated by Congress in 2021 unspent.
The plan, which was previously proposed by Cruz but ultimately failed to gain traction due to bipartisan opposition, would also require federal agencies to assess their discretionary grant programs and determine whether they may condition grants on states not enacting AI laws that conflict with the policy outlined in the order.
In a statement released yesterday, the Information revealed details about Trump's draft executive order. According to the document, the Secretary of Commerce is required to evaluate other state AI laws and identify those that require AI models to alter their truthful outputs or disclose information that would violate the First Amendment or other constitutional provisions.
Critics say this proposal represents a gross overreach by the federal government into states' affairs and could lead to unintended consequences for consumers. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) had previously opposed Cruz's plan, stating that it was premature and did not provide sufficient protections for state regulations on issues like robocalls and deepfakes.
Other lawmakers have also expressed concerns about the proposal, with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) arguing that it would preempt good consumer protection laws related to emerging technologies. The FTC chairman is required to issue a policy statement detailing circumstances under which state laws requiring alterations to AI model outputs are preempted by federal law.
The Trump administration's plan has sparked intense debate among lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about the need for a unified national framework on AI regulation and others warning that such measures could stifle innovation and hinder America's competitive edge in the tech industry.
this is gonna be a total disaster 
, they're basically saying states gotta follow their rules or else... what if california needs to regulate those deepfakes 
and texas wants to let it go wild? it's like trying to control water with an empty bucket 
. and who gets to decide what's good for the country anyway? Congress? the president? it's a power trip at best 
. plus, it's not like this is gonna stop people from using AI... they'll just find ways around it 
. America's gotta focus on making sure everyone has access to reliable internet, not playing politics with our tech future 
.
. What's next? The feds telling everyone how to grow their veggies or something? 
It's like they're trying to micromanage everything, which is super uncool 
. Can't we just have a national conversation about this stuff instead of Trump dictating what states can and can't do? 
this is like something out of a sci-fi movie - states having to follow federal rules on ai or else they dont get funding for broadband initiatives 
it just seems so restrictive and overbearing 
what's next? does trump want to dictate every aspect of our lives? 
. And what about innovation? If you stifle it with too many rules, how are we supposed to stay competitive in the tech industry? 
. what's next? them trying to dictate how california does renewable energy? 
it's like they think we can't take care of ourselves up here. i'm all for federal oversight, but come on, not this kind of overreach 
? its always about who gets to control whats best for americans, not about helping people at all 
? that would be a total disaster 
. states have the right to make their own laws, dont @ me 
. and what about all the tech companies that are already investing heavily in AI research and development? this plan is like, totally gonna stifle innovation and hinder america's competitive edge in the tech industry 
This whole thing feels like it's more about Trump wanting to make a statement than actually solving a real problem.
. And what's with the First Amendment thing? AI models aren't exactly protected speech 
. I mean, if someone's gonna make a robot that spews hate speech, maybe that's not the best idea 
. This whole thing just smells like another attempt to exert federal control over everything 
️.
. And what about all the potential unintended consequences for consumers? Can't we at least try to consider those before making drastic moves? 
$42 billion for broadband initiatives? that's like, a lot of money! 
doesn't this just create more problems in the long run? 
i also don't get why they're targeting california and colorado specifically, is there something about those states that makes them more susceptible to being blocked from funding? 
Back in my day, we didn't need the feds tellin' states what laws to pass or not pass, that was the job of our elected reps. Now they're tryin' to dictate how states handle AI and broadband initiatives? It's just plain crazy talk! 
