On Wednesday, rumors emerged in Washington regarding a potential executive order from the White House aimed at preempting state regulations on artificial intelligence (AI). Expected to be issued on Friday, the order reportedly would permit federal oversight of AI laws, raising immediate concerns among lawyers and policymakers due to its broad scope and potential legality issues. Notably, critics highlighted the significant concentration of power this order would convey to David Sacks, a tech investor serving as a Special Advisor on AI and Crypto.
The draft order indicated that President Trump intended to instruct various cabinet secretaries and agency heads to prepare reports and strategies for penalizing states with AI laws within 90 days, with only 30 days allotted for the Attorney General to create a legal task force for litigation against those states. Sacks was identified as a key advisor for each agency involved in executing these directives.
Reactions from various political factions, particularly within Congress, were severe, with public dissent from Democrats and quieter opposition from some Republicans. The predicted executive order, which was not signed as planned, was criticized for potentially being unenforceable outside the White House but would nonetheless instruct agencies to implement immediate actions.
The juxtaposition of the proposed order against existing frameworks shows a noticeable absence of several key agencies previously engaged in AI policy development, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. This exclusion raised eyebrows, suggesting that the process might have been concentrated among a few entities, leading some observers to question its collaborative intent.
As states began drafting their own AI regulations, there appeared to be growing resentment toward any federal preemptive actions. The unfolding dynamics could indicate an increasing polarization within both major political parties concerning the regulation of technology and AI.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/829179/david-sacks-ai-executive-order