Republicans are trying to „sneak” another AI moratorium that would prevent states from regulating the growing industry

Today, the actor from 500 Days of Summer and Inception, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, shared a two-minute video on social media asking people to take action against AI inclusions in the US government’s annual approval of the National Defense Authorization Act. It’s an unexpected move from the popular actor, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Just yesterday, US President Donald Trump posted on social media, calling for a national standard for AI rather than “a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes,” as first spotted by Reuters. This post from the President hints at the goals for the moratorium and the federal regulations on artificial intelligence.

“Contact your representatives.” National standard for AI regulation snuck into NDAA

AI has become a controversial topic, to say the least. Last week, news broke about a study that found children’s toys with AI chatbots were ready and able to teach children how to light matches and much more. Today, the CEO of Google compared the current rush to the Dot Com bubble of the late 90s, saying no company would be completely safe from a bursting AI bubble. This isn’t even getting into the controversial use of AI in creative mediums like video games. Two of the most recent popular games, ARC Raiders and Dispatch, have taken different approaches to the subject.

Thanks to reporting from TechPolicy.Press, Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who, earlier this year, invoked the “lazy gamer” stereotype to justify cutting healthcare for millions of Americans, said “the chamber is ‘looking at’ tucking the language into the National Defense Authorization Act.” The language in question is a moratorium on states' abilities to create their own rules on artificial intelligence. This is also not the first time representatives have attempted to pass this regulation. The concept was initially included in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” Act this July, but was removed before it was passed thanks to a variety of groups uniting “to loudly reject the proposal,” via Public Citizen.

Should this moratorium pass, it would prevent states from regulating AI for at least ten years. It would leave AI regulation entirely in the hands of the federal government, which has made its position quite clear. Reuters reported that President Trump posted on the subject yesterday, writing, “Overregulation by the States is threatening to undermine this Growth Engine,” and emphasizing the importance of defeating China in the AI race by making “America the world capital in artificial intelligence.”

As Gordon-Levitt points out in his video, “this is all about money.” Why would AI companies want to let states pick and choose regulations when they already have the administration in their pocket? NPR reported shortly after the election that OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, intended to personally donate $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, along with other tech billionaires like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.

Allowing this moratorium to pass would prevent any state from creating regulations specific to its constituents. Maybe it would be fine at first, but what if that changes after a few years? Should the staff at these companies be allowed state-level protection? Should AI companies be environmentally conscious in their local communities? Federal regulation appears to have one goal: win, no matter the cost. It will only serve to make the rich richer and put roadblocks in the way of protecting anyone but these companies.

So, if this upsets you, do as Gordon-Levitt says and call your representatives. If the outrage and opposition become loud enough, it could force lawmakers to remove the moratorium, just like it was removed from the “Big Beautiful Bill” earlier this year. If you’re not sure who your representatives are, use this government website. Simply type in your zip code and click “Find Your Rep By Zip,” and the site will provide you with the answer. Clicking their names often takes you to a website with their contact information. The NDAA is expected to be voted on ahead of Thanksgiving, which is November 27th, just over one week away, so the time to act is limited.

• tech
• AI / Artificial Intelligence
• OpenAI