Twelve State Attorneys General Urge US Congress Not to Restrict AI Regulation.

Attorneys general from 35 states and the District of Columbia, spanning both Republican and Democratic leadership, have urged Congress not to impede state-level artificial intelligence legislation, cautioning that leaving AI unchecked could lead to severe and harmful outcomes.

The appeal highlights growing tension between state governments and the federal administration as major tech firms push to halt new AI regulations scheduled for 2026, while states raise concerns over safety risks, including injuries and deaths linked to chatbot misuse.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, joined by counterparts from North Carolina, Utah and New Hampshire, emphasized that states must retain authority to enact and enforce AI protections tailored to their populations.

Tech firms including OpenAI, Google, Meta and Andreessen Horowitz have advocated for one national regulatory framework rather than varied laws across the country. However, with no federal standards in place, the attorneys general warned that limiting state action would endanger the public and urged Congress to work collaboratively on meaningful AI oversight.

Several states have already introduced measures addressing issues such as non-consensual sexually explicit AI images, AI use in political campaigns, and algorithmic discrimination. Colorado is seeking to prevent AI-driven bias in housing, employment and education, while California is preparing to implement some of the nation’s strongest requirements in 2026, including training data transparency, AI-content detection, and mandatory risk-mitigation planning from model developers.

The Senate overwhelmingly rejected attempts to block such laws earlier this year. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has encouraged Congress to include a provision curbing state AI regulations in upcoming defense legislation, though plans to pursue federal action against states have reportedly been paused.