The Senate passed the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act without a controversial amendment that would have imposed a five-year freeze on state-level AI regulations. Michael Kleinman of the Future of Life Institute warns that the amendment's removal is detrimental, arguing it complicates legislative efforts around AI in a chaotic environment. The original proposal suggested a ten-year freeze but was cut short to five, with exceptions for certain laws. The introduction of vague terminology regarding burdens on AI companies further complicates state efforts to regulate effectively.
Had the amendment survived, it could have been disastrous for states, according to Michael Kleinman, policy lead at the Future of Life Institute. "This is the worst possible way to legislate around AI for two reasons: First, it's making it almost impossible to do any kind of legislation, and second, it's happening in the most rushed and chaotic environment imaginable," he says. The bill is over 900 pages long, and the Senate had just 72 hours to review it before debate and voting began.
The original proposal called for a 10-year freeze, but the Senate reduced it to five years and added exceptions for state laws protecting children and copyrights. However, it also introduced vague language barring any state law that places an "undue or disproportionate" burden on AI companies.
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