Recently, Republican legislators in the United States have once again proposed including a provision in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act that would prohibit states from implementing artificial intelligence laws. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise stated that the legislative language is under discussion and the final content of the bill is expected to be determined this week. This move is a renewed attempt following the failure of a similar proposal earlier this year, as the Senate had almost unanimously removed such a proposal last year.

In the initial attempt, a proposal led by Texas Senator Ted Cruz was considered to hinder market development and faced strong opposition from privacy protection organizations and more than 260 state legislators, who deemed it "dangerous." Over 1,000 AI-related laws have been introduced by states in recent years, with hundreds already taking effect.

Despite the failure, some Republicans are still unwilling to give up the fight. The Trump administration had announced an artificial intelligence action plan in July, which included the possibility of revoking some state broadband funding if their AI laws were considered "burdensome," but this threat has not yet been implemented.

Many state leaders said that local laws are a response to the lack of federal regulation, aiming to fill potential risk gaps brought about by the development of artificial intelligence technology. Experts expressed concerns about the impact of the new proposal and pointed out that there is currently significant bipartisan opposition.

Trump expressed support for the proposal on social media, stating that excessive state regulation would affect the growth of the U.S. economy and called for the establishment of a unified federal standard. At the same time, Democratic members strongly opposed it, saying they would "block" the passage of the proposal.

Although the proposal is still under discussion, divisions within the Republican Party over the proposal are becoming increasingly evident, including some Republicans questioning Trump's position, arguing that limiting state regulation of artificial intelligence is an infringement on local rights.

Key points:

🌐 The Republican Party is once again trying to include provisions in the National Defense Act that restrict state AI laws.

🛡️ Multiple state leaders and legislators have strongly opposed the proposal, believing it could harm local governance.

🤝 Trump supports the proposal, but internal party divisions are increasing, and opposition voices are growing stronger.