The Trump administration on Friday unveiled a national AI framework that it hopes Congress will codify into law.
The AI framework seeks to create a regulatory environment that would not hamper AI innovation and allow America to better compete against countries such as China, while also ensuring that there is no bias in AI systems and that there would be protection for children and teenagers that go online.
The framework calls on Congress to overrule and preempt state AI laws that the White House believes would “impose undue burdens” and instead foster a “minimally burdensome” federal regulatory environment.
The proposal would allow for states to create regulations that would protect children, including banning AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). It would set barriers for children to access AI platforms and give parents tools to protect children.
Trump’s proposal would call on lawmakers to pass legislation to encourage AI-based skills training and education, as well as data collection on disruption that may arise from increased productivity with the use of AI.
The White House proposal would also urge Congress to codify Trump’s ratepayer protection pledge, which would require tech firms to supply or pay for the electricity they use for data centers they operate. Amazon, OpenAI, and Google have signed on the pledge.
“We have the big investment coming, but if they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you can forget it because it’s impossible to do,” Trump said in December when he signed an executive order about the need to ensure there is one federal framework on AI regulation, not a patchwork of 50 states.
Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (LA-01), Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-04), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, and Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36), Chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, on Friday said that they would work to enact Trump’s AI framework.
They said in a joint statement:
AI has begun to demonstrate its potential to improve Americans’ lives. To ensure we continue to harness its potential and beat China in the global AI race, Congress must take action. Today, the Trump Administration took a critical step in releasing a framework that gives Congress a roadmap to pursue legislation that provides innovators with much-needed certainty, while protecting consumers and prioritizing kids’ online safety. House Republicans look forward to working across the aisle to enact a national framework that unleashes the full potential of AI, cements the U.S. as the global leader, and provides important protections for American families.
Outside, pro-AI groups have applauded the framework.
Nathan Leamer, the executive director of Build American AI, said in a written statement:
With smart leadership, the innovations of the next century will be defined by American builders and made to American standards. For too long, the conversation around AI has been dominated by fear and negativity. This proposal marks a turning point. It represents a bold and optimistic vision that sets basic safety standards, protects Americans and our children, embraces innovation, empowers American builders, and positions the United States to lead with confidence. If we seize this moment, America will lead this new era of growth, opportunity, and prosperity.
James Czerniawski, the head of emerging technology at the Consumer Choice Center, said in a statement, “We commend the Trump administration for launching its National AI Policy Framework. Over the last several years, state lawmakers have introduced thousands of AI-related bills that would regulate the technology under nearly every imaginable scenario, weakening America’s ability to stay competitive and lead the global AI race.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who unveiled a discussion draft of her AI legislation recently, said:
In December, President Trump gave Congress a mandate to draft a national AI framework to protect the 4Cs while ensuring America wins the race for global AI dominance, and we welcome the White House to this important discussion about the path forward for passing a bill through both chambers of Congress. Over the last few months, I have worked diligently with the White House, conservative leaders, child safety advocates, members of the creative community, and AI innovators to develop legislation that can garner bipartisan support and accomplish the President’s goals. Today, the Trump administration gave us a roadmap for AI, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to codify the President’s agenda, protect Americans, and unleash AI innovation. The TRUMP AMERICA AI Act is the solution America needs.
“This framework strikes the right balance: respecting states’ rights, protecting children, defending free speech, promoting energy dominance for American consumers, and clarifying the federal government’s role in this critical debate. The next generation of technology deployed worldwide should come from the United States, and this framework gives Congress a clear path to help make that happen,” he added.
Wynton Hall, Breitbart News social media director and author of Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI, explained on Steve Bannon’s War Room show that America can beat China without becoming a “techno-authoritarian” surveillance state.
