Republicans attempt to mandate deregulation of AI for tech tycoons and fossil fuel.
They want to stop all the protections and oversight of automation completely in the country, and handcuff state and local efforts to protect communities and save lives.
404 Media - Republicans Try to Cram Ban on AI Regulation Into Budget Reconciliation Bill Emanuel Maiberg · May 12, 2025 at 10:09 AM “...no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act,” says the text of the bill introduced Sunday night by Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. That language of the bill, how it goes on to define AI and other “automated systems,” and what it considers “regulation,” is broad enough to cover relatively new generative AI tools and technology that has existed for much longer. In theory, that language will make it impossible to enforce many existing and proposed state laws that aim to protect people from and inform them about AI systems. (emphasis added)
This is straight out of the anti public health and climate denial legislative playbook.
Unfortunately in Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is forcing AI tools into state government and I'm sure employees feel pressured to use such "tools" even if they do damage, because they want to keep their jobs after all, by keeping their deadlines. The incentive usually being to get things done, not necessarily do things right — and chatbots have the uncanny ability to make things look and sound believable even when they're incorrect. In my opinion, this technology belongs nowhere near the people's business.
My letter to reps:
AI and chatbots absolutely need regulation and oversight. And if the feds won't, the states have a right and a responsibility to do so. The idea of handcuffing us from protecting anyone is like saying you want dirty drinking water. I don't want this everywhere. AI is an out of control financial bubble wasting fossil fuel. It outputs inaccurate information, causing threats to patient safety in healthcare settings and has directly led to illness and even death. An AI generated foraging book told people to eat poison mushrooms. Fake childrens books full of nonsense. It can't even do what they say. It seems only to be able to create convincing sounding BS, use energy and water and land that communities desperately need. And it's functioning as an Oracle of Chatbot thing where unwitting people are being told they're connected to a spirit in the universe. Some would surely call this blasphemy. The pope himself has specifically called out the need to defend human dignity against AI. So why do politicians think they should stifle the freedom to protect communities?
Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.
More references can be found on these: