Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with a bipartisan group of 36 attorneys general, has written to Congress to express opposition to proposals that would ban state laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI). The letter comes amid reports that lawmakers may attempt to include such a ban in an upcoming military funding bill. A similar proposal was previously opposed by the same coalition over the summer.
Nessel stated, “As AI continues to grow and evolve, states must have the ability to act and protect their residents. While AI has its benefits, every possible avenue should remain open to shield people from its harms, and restricting states from enacting such protections only weakens their responsibility to safeguard the public.”
The attorneys general recognize that AI can offer advantages in areas like health care and public safety but also point out risks associated with its misuse. They cite recent cases where AI technology has been used to distort reality for vulnerable individuals, target senior citizens with scams, engage in inappropriate conversations with children, and in severe instances, reinforce self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
Michigan law already includes measures aimed at limiting the influence of AI on political campaigns and protecting individuals from explicit material generated by AI. These laws create both civil and criminal consequences for distributing pornographic “deep fakes.” The coalition warns that prohibiting state-level regulation could endanger public safety. Other states have enacted similar laws addressing issues such as misinformation during elections, robocall scams, deceptive consumer practices, data privacy concerns, and algorithmic manipulation.
Rather than restricting state action on AI regulation, the attorneys general are urging Congress to collaborate with them on comprehensive federal legislation designed to address harmful uses of AI.
The letter was signed by attorneys general representing American Samoa, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah,Vermont,V irgin Islands , Washington ,and Wisconsin .
“As AI continues to grow and evolve,” Nessel said. “States must have the ability to act and protect their residents.”
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