White House AI framework calls for preemption of state laws

The White House recently unveiled its national artificial intelligence policy framework, a four-page document stemming from a December executive order by then-President Donald Trump. The framework's core tenets include pushing for broad preemption of state AI laws and rejecting "open-ended liability" for AI companies. Key requests to Congress involve streamlined permitting processes for data centers, regulatory "sandboxes" for exemptions, and a call against establishing a new federal AI regulatory body. The proposal, which received immediate support from House leadership including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), also outlines seven broad categories for Congressional action: kids’ safety, community effects, copyright, indirect government censorship, federal regulation, jobs, and state preemption. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who had previously drafted AI legislation, praised the White House's efforts, emphasizing the need for bipartisan support. While the AI industry, represented by groups like NetChoice and the Center for Data Innovation, lauded the framework's "light-touch regulatory environment," advocacy groups like Americans for Responsible Innovation expressed concerns about potential harm without accountability. The framework specifically addresses community effects by urging Congress to prevent increased energy costs for residential ratepayers due to data center construction and to affirm states' authority over data center zoning. It also seeks to protect against deepfakes, expand access to federal datasets for AI training, and utilize non-regulatory methods for workforce development, while suggesting existing child privacy protections apply to AI systems rather than expanding new ones.