TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Monday, former President Donald Trump renewed his call for federal oversight of artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, coinciding with Florida lawmakers’ exploration of AI’s impact on the state.
In a Truth Social post, Trump emphasized the need for a unified regulatory framework, stating, “There must be only One Rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI.” He announced his intention to sign an executive order on the matter within the week.
Trump further asserted the importance of maintaining a national lead in AI development, warning, “We are beating ALL COUNTRIES at this point in the race, but that won’t last long if we have 50 States, many of them bad actors, involved in RULES and the APPROVAL PROCESS.”
He continued, “You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something. THAT WILL NEVER WORK!”
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed concerns over federal preemption of state AI regulations. He argued on social media that an executive order alone could not override state legislative powers.
DeSantis elaborated on X, saying, “Congress could, theoretically, preempt states through legislation. However, they haven’t proposed any coherent regulatory scheme and instead aim to block states from acting for 10 years, effectively creating an AI amnesty. This approach is highly unpopular, making it unlikely Congress has the votes to pass it.”
On Tuesday, several Florida House panels will hold discussions about issues related to AI. A spokeswoman for House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said Monday the discussions are not a prelude to a massive regulatory bill.
“AI is a transformative technology, and like all technology it can have positive and negative impacts,” House spokeswoman Amelia Angleton said in a statement. “Our intention is to have a thoughtful discussion about AI in various policy areas and look at how current or potential uses align or misalign with Florida’s laws. Any conversation about a larger regulatory framework should be had at the federal level not in the states.”
Included among the House discussions, the Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee is slated to look at the impact of data centers on electric utilities; the Careers & Workforce Subcommittee will review the challenges of AI on the workforce; the Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee will consider how AI will be used in emergency management; and the Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee will look at the impact of AI on the practice of law.
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said Monday he wants to see what is in the president’s executive order about AI regulation.
“The president has a view about this which is more global, is very energetic about wanting to see where AI can lead the business community … about the national defense,” Albritton told reporters. “If AI can help us defend this country more readily and more efficiently, I’m all in. So globally, I think the president has a great perspective on it.”
“What I appreciate about where the governor is coming from is,” Albritton continued, “he’s got concerns about how it impacts Floridians on a personal or individual basis and making sure that those liberties are protected.”
Over the summer, DeSantis was among opponents of a proposal in the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that, for a decade, would have prevented states from regulating artificial intelligence. The proposal did not pass.
Last week, DeSantis raised the issue of a possible 10-year preemption as he announced he was working with state lawmakers on AI legislation.
“That (a 10-year preemption) is basically saying, ‘Let the handful of tech companies let them drive the train, and we’re just along for the ride,’” DeSantis said during an appearance in The Villages.
DeSantis also warned that the technology could result in an “age of darkness and deceit” without adequate safeguards.
Also, Monday, DeSantis reiterated his desire for a Florida “citizens bill of rights” on AI, adding, “This will be so much worse for kids than social media if we don’t establish meaningful guardrails.”
DeSantis’ proposal envisions legislation to address issues such as protections from Chinese-created AI and deep fake videos and the impacts of huge data centers on the environment, water resources and utility bills.
