Trump says to sign order blocking AI regulation by states

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Monday he will attempt to strip states of the right to regulate the surging AI industry, arguing the move is vital to maintain US dominance.

“There must be only One Rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI,” he posted on his Truth Social platform, announcing an executive order that would seek to prevent state-level regulation.

Trump has made a major play to position the United States at the head of the global race to build and control AI tools predicted to transform everything from the way the economy works to military technology.

However, the White House is running up against deep skepticism in Congress, where many Democrats and some from his own Republican Party are wary of the technology’s potential economic and social harms.

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The announcement that he will sign an executive order centralizing AI regulation comes after Congress has twice refused to vote for allowing the overriding of state-level laws on AI.

“We are beating ALL COUNTRIES at this point in the race, but that won’t last long if we are going to have 50 States, many of them bad actors, involved in RULES and the APPROVAL PROCESS,” Trump wrote in his post.

“THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS! AI WILL BE DESTROYED IN ITS INFANCY! I will be doing a ONE RULE Executive Order this week.”

The order is likely to stir more political opposition and legal challenges.