The White House released its national AI policy framework on Friday, ostensibly to ensure protections for children, communities, and small businesses. In reality, the framework is designed to pre-empt state-level regulation — and it’s the biggest tech companies that stand to benefit most.
The framework calls for a “single legislative approach” applied uniformly across the country, rather than allowing states to form their own plans. On the surface, this sounds reasonable — a patchwork of state regulations would create compliance headaches. But look at who’s been lobbying for exactly this approach: OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, all of which have spent millions pushing for federal pre-emption of state AI laws.
What’s Missing
The framework is notable for what it doesn’t include: mandatory algorithmic auditing, meaningful liability provisions for AI-caused harm, or restrictions on the use of AI in critical decisions like hiring, lending, and criminal justice. These are precisely the areas where state legislatures like California and Illinois have been most aggressive.
The child protection provisions are the strongest element, including restrictions on AI-generated content targeting minors and requirements for age verification on AI platforms. But even these are likely to face legal challenges on First Amendment grounds.
The Real Game
This framework is less about protecting consumers and more about protecting the AI industry’s ability to move fast and break things without facing a maze of state regulations. It’s deregulation dressed up as regulation, and it should be scrutinised accordingly.