🔗 Share this article California Governor Gavin Newsom Pushes Back on President Trump's Artificial Intelligence Decree Seeking to Overriding Local Regulations. Scarcely had the ink dried on the President's artificial intelligence executive order when the California governor issued a forceful rebuttal. Shortly following the decree was released on Thursday evening, the governor released comments arguing that the presidential dictum, which aims to prevent states from crafting their own AI rules, promotes “grift and corruption” instead of genuine innovation. “President Trump and David Sacks are not crafting legislation – they are executing a scheme,” Newsom stated, mentioning the President's technology czar. “Every day, they test boundaries to see what they can get away with.” A Major Victory for Silicon Valley Sets Up a Federal-State Clash Trump’s executive order is seen as a major victory for technology companies that have actively campaigned to remove regulatory hurdles to creating and launching their AI products. It also establishes a looming clash between local authorities and the federal administration over the future of AI regulation. Swift criticism from groups including children's welfare groups, unions, and state officials has underscored the highly controversial nature of the order. A number of leaders and organizations have already questioned the constitutionality of the directive, stating that the President lacks the power to override state legislation on AI and denouncing the order as the result of powerful corporate influence. The state of California, home to many prominent AI companies and one of the most active states on AI policy, has become a primary hub for pushback against the order. “This executive order is deeply misguided, grossly unethical, and will ultimately stifle progress and weaken public trust in the long run,” remarked a lawmaker from California, Sara Jacobs. “We are examining every option – including legal and legislative action – to overturn this policy.” Legislative Loggerheads and Imminent Court Battle Earlier this year, Governor Newsom enacted a landmark AI law that would require developers of large, powerful AI models to disclose safety data and immediately notify authorities of safety incidents or risk penalties up to $1 million. Newsom championed this Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence act as a blueprint for regulating AI companies across the country. “California's position as a worldwide innovator in technology allows us a unique opportunity to provide a blueprint for well-balanced AI policies for the entire nation,” the governor stated in an address. “This is particularly vital given the lack of a comprehensive federal AI policy.” The recent state law and other California legislation could now be in Trump’s crosshairs. The new federal directive establishes an AI litigation taskforce that would scrutinize state laws deemed not to “bolster the United States’ global AI dominance” and then pursue legal action or threaten to cut federal broadband funding. Critics argue that the White House has failed to deliver any comprehensive federal framework to replace the state laws it seeks to preempt. “President Trump’s unlawful executive order is simply a blatant attempt to upend AI safety and give tech billionaires unchecked power over working people’s jobs, rights and freedoms,” stated a major labor leader, one critic. Broad Opposition Intensifies Across the Spectrum Shortly after the order was signed, criticism grew among elected officials, union heads, children’s advocacy groups and rights groups that decried the move. Other California Democratic leaders argued the executive order was an assault on local autonomy. “No place in America understands the potential of AI better than California,” said Alex Padilla. “However, this new policy, the White House is undermining state leadership and basic safeguards in a single stroke.” Similarly, Adam Schiff emphasized: “Trump is seeking to preempt local regulations that are establishing meaningful safeguards around AI and substituting them with … nothing.” Officials from multiple states also took issue with the order. One congressmember called it a “disastrous policy” that would “create a lawless Wild West environment for AI companies”. A New York assemblymember called the order a “huge giveaway” for AI firms, adding that “a few powerful executives bribed the President into compromising America’s future”. Remarkably, even Steve Bannon found fault with the policy, saying in a message that the President's adviser had “given poor counsel to the President on this issue”. The head of an investment firm similarly said that “the solution is not overriding local regulations”. Child Safety Concerns Become a Focal Point Blowback against the order has extended to groups focused on kids' safety that have long expressed concerns over the effects of AI on children. The debate has intensified this year following multiple lawsuits against AI companies related to harm to children. “The AI industry’s relentless race for user attention has already led to loss of life, and, in enacting this policy, the White House has signaled it is willing to allow it to continue,” said the head of a child advocacy group. “The public deserves more than corporate favors at the cost of their safety.” A group of bereaved parents and safety groups have publicly opposed the order. They have been advocating for new laws to safeguard children from risky online platforms and AI chatbots and released a PSA opposing the federal override. “Parents will not stand idly by and allow our children to remain test subjects in big tech’s deadly AI experiment that prioritizes revenue over the wellbeing of children,” declared one coalition CEO. “We need strong protections at the federal and state level, not amnesty for big tech billionaires.”
Scarcely had the ink dried on the President's artificial intelligence executive order when the California governor issued a forceful rebuttal. Shortly following the decree was released on Thursday evening, the governor released comments arguing that the presidential dictum, which aims to prevent states from crafting their own AI rules, promotes “grift and corruption” instead of genuine innovation. “President Trump and David Sacks are not crafting legislation – they are executing a scheme,” Newsom stated, mentioning the President's technology czar. “Every day, they test boundaries to see what they can get away with.” A Major Victory for Silicon Valley Sets Up a Federal-State Clash Trump’s executive order is seen as a major victory for technology companies that have actively campaigned to remove regulatory hurdles to creating and launching their AI products. It also establishes a looming clash between local authorities and the federal administration over the future of AI regulation. Swift criticism from groups including children's welfare groups, unions, and state officials has underscored the highly controversial nature of the order. A number of leaders and organizations have already questioned the constitutionality of the directive, stating that the President lacks the power to override state legislation on AI and denouncing the order as the result of powerful corporate influence. The state of California, home to many prominent AI companies and one of the most active states on AI policy, has become a primary hub for pushback against the order. “This executive order is deeply misguided, grossly unethical, and will ultimately stifle progress and weaken public trust in the long run,” remarked a lawmaker from California, Sara Jacobs. “We are examining every option – including legal and legislative action – to overturn this policy.” Legislative Loggerheads and Imminent Court Battle Earlier this year, Governor Newsom enacted a landmark AI law that would require developers of large, powerful AI models to disclose safety data and immediately notify authorities of safety incidents or risk penalties up to $1 million. Newsom championed this Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence act as a blueprint for regulating AI companies across the country. “California's position as a worldwide innovator in technology allows us a unique opportunity to provide a blueprint for well-balanced AI policies for the entire nation,” the governor stated in an address. “This is particularly vital given the lack of a comprehensive federal AI policy.” The recent state law and other California legislation could now be in Trump’s crosshairs. The new federal directive establishes an AI litigation taskforce that would scrutinize state laws deemed not to “bolster the United States’ global AI dominance” and then pursue legal action or threaten to cut federal broadband funding. Critics argue that the White House has failed to deliver any comprehensive federal framework to replace the state laws it seeks to preempt. “President Trump’s unlawful executive order is simply a blatant attempt to upend AI safety and give tech billionaires unchecked power over working people’s jobs, rights and freedoms,” stated a major labor leader, one critic. Broad Opposition Intensifies Across the Spectrum Shortly after the order was signed, criticism grew among elected officials, union heads, children’s advocacy groups and rights groups that decried the move. Other California Democratic leaders argued the executive order was an assault on local autonomy. “No place in America understands the potential of AI better than California,” said Alex Padilla. “However, this new policy, the White House is undermining state leadership and basic safeguards in a single stroke.” Similarly, Adam Schiff emphasized: “Trump is seeking to preempt local regulations that are establishing meaningful safeguards around AI and substituting them with … nothing.” Officials from multiple states also took issue with the order. One congressmember called it a “disastrous policy” that would “create a lawless Wild West environment for AI companies”. A New York assemblymember called the order a “huge giveaway” for AI firms, adding that “a few powerful executives bribed the President into compromising America’s future”. Remarkably, even Steve Bannon found fault with the policy, saying in a message that the President's adviser had “given poor counsel to the President on this issue”. The head of an investment firm similarly said that “the solution is not overriding local regulations”. Child Safety Concerns Become a Focal Point Blowback against the order has extended to groups focused on kids' safety that have long expressed concerns over the effects of AI on children. The debate has intensified this year following multiple lawsuits against AI companies related to harm to children. “The AI industry’s relentless race for user attention has already led to loss of life, and, in enacting this policy, the White House has signaled it is willing to allow it to continue,” said the head of a child advocacy group. “The public deserves more than corporate favors at the cost of their safety.” A group of bereaved parents and safety groups have publicly opposed the order. They have been advocating for new laws to safeguard children from risky online platforms and AI chatbots and released a PSA opposing the federal override. “Parents will not stand idly by and allow our children to remain test subjects in big tech’s deadly AI experiment that prioritizes revenue over the wellbeing of children,” declared one coalition CEO. “We need strong protections at the federal and state level, not amnesty for big tech billionaires.”