1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The widespread and largely unregulated adoption of AI poses significant risks to individual rights, social cohesion, and fair competition. Blanket preemptions against state-level AI regulations, as proposed in the Republican bill, would leave the public vulnerable to potential misuse and abuse of this powerful technology for an entire decade. Instead of granting unchecked freedom to companies, we need balanced policies that foster innovation while protecting citizens from harm. AI applications like deepfakes, surveillance overreach, automated scams, social media astroturfing and sentiment conversion are already eroding trust and enabling malicious actors. Rather than stifling all state efforts, the federal government should work constructively with states to develop guardrails that uphold ethics and prevent monopolistic practices. Responsible AI governance is crucial for safeguarding individual liberties, boosting consumer confidence, and ensuring a level playing field for businesses of all sizes.