Department of Justice Forms AI Task Force to Counter State Regulations

The U.S. Department of Justice has unveiled plans to establish an artificial intelligence-focused task force aimed at challenging regulations at the state level. This initiative is intended to enable AI enterprises to operate without being burdened by complex legal barriers, based on information from an internal document reviewed by CBS News.

The document, authored by Attorney General Pam Bondi, references a directive from President Trump issued last month. This directive seeks to curtail what it considers to be an overabundance of state regulations on artificial intelligence. This executive order suggests that inconsistent regulations across different states could pose significant risks to the development of the AI sector, an assertion met with resistance by detractors.

Per the memo, the AI Litigation Task Force is set to dispute state legislation that it deems unlawful—these statutes purportedly infringe upon the constitutional provisions concerning interstate commerce or are overshadowed by pre-existing federal laws.

This task force, under President Trump's directive, will collaborate with David Sacks, the White House's expert on AI and cryptocurrency. The team will evaluate which state laws should be challenged, the memo notes.

David Sacks, known as a significant venture capitalist from Silicon Valley, has voiced his support for the presidential directive to limit state governance. Last month, he stated that the order equips federal authorities with the means to counter the most burdensome state regulations.

The leadership of the task force will either fall to Bondi herself or one of her designees. The body will comprise individuals from the Deputy and Associate Attorney General's offices, the Civil Division of the Justice Department, and the Solicitor General's office.

State-Level AI Legislation

Several states, such as Colorado, California, Utah, and Texas, have implemented legislation concerning AI enterprises, and additional states are considering similar measures. State laws concerning artificial intelligence have predominantly focused on limiting potential abuses by AI technologies, with some laws aiming to curb prevalent issues like 'deepfakes' and to mandate that companies reveal to consumers when they are interacting with AI-driven chatbots, according to Brookings Institution analysis.

Opposition in Congress

In December, a group of Senate Democrats spearheaded by Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts introduced a legislative proposal intended to block President Trump's executive directive concerning state AI regulations. Markey emphasized his confidence in the judiciary to nullify what he termed as the President's unauthorized expansion of power but insisted that Congress needs to safeguard its legislative prerogatives and obstruct the executive order.