Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella is part of a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general that has sent a letter to Congress voicing opposition to a sweeping amendment to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s budget reconciliation bill. The amendment would impose a 10-year prohibition on states from enforcing any laws or regulations addressing artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems.

“AI promises immense potential for progress, but it also brings significant risks that must be addressed responsibly,” said Attorney General Formella. “State attorneys general have led the way in protecting consumers from the harmful effects of unregulated AI. This proposed amendment would undermine those efforts, stripping away important consumer protections without offering any solution to fill the void. I stand with my colleagues in urging Congress to reject this dangerous provision.”

AI promises to revolutionize America’s economy, spur achievement and innovation, and improve lives across the country. However, the rise of such technology presents real, immediate dangers ranging from explicit material and election interference to deception, exploitation, and harassment against consumers. State legislatures and attorneys general have continued to be at the forefront of ensuring AI is not abused and that consumers are protected. As the letter to Congress emphasizes, state laws and regulations “have been developed over years through careful consideration and extensive stakeholder input from consumers, industry, and advocates. And, in the years ahead, additional matters—many unforeseeable today given the rapidly evolving nature of this technology—are likely to arise.”

If enacted, the amendment would strip away essential state protections without replacing them with a viable federal regulatory framework and silence state leaders who are best positioned to respond.  Any effort to prohibit states from enacting and enforcing laws aimed at regulating AI and protecting consumers will leave AI entirely unregulated at any level and Americans completely exposed to its known harms and evolving, real-world risks—ultimately leading to dangerous consequences for the American people. The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general respectfully urges Congress to reject the AI moratorium added to the budget reconciliation bill and to take action that supports, rather than undermines, consumer protection.