1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

The proposed ban on regulating artificial intelligence for 10 years is deeply concerning and detrimental to public welfare. AI systems are proliferating rapidly across various sectors, from healthcare to employment decisions, with far-reaching consequences. Preventing states from enacting laws to protect citizens and promote transparency would undermine democratic principles and public accountability. States have taken crucial steps to mitigate risks such as bias, privacy violations, and lack of transparency in AI systems. Laws like California's requirement for disclosure on generative AI models' training data and New York's mandate for bias audits on AI hiring tools are essential safeguards. Stripping away these protections would leave the public vulnerable to potential harms from unchecked AI deployment. Moreover, the proposed language is alarmingly broad, potentially impacting existing regulations on automated decision systems beyond just recent generative AI tools. This sweeping preemption disregards the significant variation in states' needs and priorities regarding emerging technologies. As representatives, we urge you to remove this overreaching provision from the Budget Reconciliation bill. Artificial intelligence must be developed and deployed responsibly, with appropriate oversight and public input. Stifling state-level efforts to regulate AI undermines democratic values and jeopardizes the well-being of your constituents. We implore you to safeguard the public interest over corporate expedience in this pivotal technological frontier.