Opinion | Wisconsin needs to protect itself from Big Tech

Brendan Steinhauser, CEO of the Alliance for Secure AI, writes an opinion piece in The Cap Times urging Wisconsin to enact state-level safeguards against advanced AI and the growing influence of Big Tech companies like Meta and OpenAI. Steinhauser warns against the concept of "federal preemption," which he states could strip states of their ability to regulate AI development and deployment, referencing the Trump administration's framework that includes this concept. He highlights public and legislative concerns in Madison regarding AI's societal risks, including job losses, and mentions a January protest at the state Capitol against proposed data centers in Wisconsin. The author argues that states are better positioned to respond to AI harms and protect citizens, emphasizing that supporting safeguards is not anti-AI but crucial for accountability. Steinhauser urges Wisconsinites to contact elected officials and oppose Big Tech's "power grab" through federal preemption of state AI laws, advocating for state sovereignty in regulating technology for the public's best interest.