Trump signs order blocking states from enforcing own AI rules
US President Donald Trump signed administrative order It aims to prevent states from enforcing their own artificial intelligence (AI) regulations.
“We want to have one central source of approval,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.
White House AI adviser David Sacks said this would give the Trump administration tools to push back on the most “onerous” state rules. He added that the government would not oppose AI regulations regarding children’s safety.
The move marks a win for tech giants, who have been calling for U.S.-wide AI legislation as it could have a major impact on America’s bid to lead the rapidly evolving industry.
Bosses of AI companies have argued that state-level regulations could slow innovation and hinder the US race against China to dominate the industry as companies pour billions of dollars into the technology.
The BBC contacted artificial intelligence firms OpenAI, Google, Meta. and Anthropic for comment.
However, the announcement was met with opposition.
The state of California, home to many of the world’s largest technology companies, already has its own artificial intelligence regulations.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a harsh critic of Trump, issued a strongly worded statement accusing him of corruption in response to the executive order.
“Today, President Trump continued his ongoing con in the White House by attempting to enrich himself and his associates with a new executive order aimed at blocking state laws protecting Americans from unregulated AI technology.”
Earlier this year, Newsom signed a bill requiring the largest AI developers to develop plans to limit risks from AI models.
States including Colorado and New York have also passed laws regulating the development of the technology.
Newsom said the law sets a standard that U.S. lawmakers can follow.
Other critics of Trump’s executive order argue that state laws are necessary in the absence of meaningful guardrails at the federal level.
“Preventing states from enacting their own AI protections undermines the fundamental rights of states to establish adequate guardrails to protect their residents,” Julie Scelfo of the advocacy group Mothers Against Media Addiction said in a statement.
