President Donald Trump announced this week that he will sign an executive order establishing a single nationwide framework for AI regulation, aiming to limit state-level rules. “At this stage of the AI race, we are ahead of every country, but that won’t last long if 50 states are involved in the approval process, many of which only get in the way,” Trump said. “There can be no doubt: this would strangle AI at the very start of its development. This week I will sign an executive order on unified AI rules. Companies shouldn’t have to chase 50 approvals every time they want to do something.”
The forthcoming order marks Trump’s latest attempt to shape U.S. AI policy, as state governments have increasingly acted to protect their citizens amid a lack of federal legislation. The announcement follows a long-running dispute over whether AI oversight should be centralized or left to the states. Earlier efforts to block state-level AI regulation, including a proposed ban in the most recent defense bill, have failed, reflecting ongoing tensions between federal and state authorities. Critics argue that limiting state action could leave gaps in safety and consumer protections, while proponents say a unified rule is essential to maintain U.S. competitiveness in AI.
