In response to the Senate’s rejection of the proposed moratorium on state AI regulations from the president’s budget bill, Omidyar Network CEO Mike Kubzansky released the following statement:
Omidyar Network is proud to see the Senate reject a proposed moratorium on state AI policies—a shortsighted and deeply flawed attempt to strip Americans of their right to govern emerging technology.
Despite the rhetoric from some on Capitol Hill, we know that AI regulation doesn’t stifle innovation—it spurs it. American leadership on AI depends on ensuring a competitive market where innovation thrives alongside accountability, and smart guardrails are essential to making that happen.
State legislatures are already leading the way, advancing proposals to protect children, uphold data privacy, mitigate risk, and safeguard basic rights. Preserving their ability to act is a win for both democratic self-governance and meaningful progress on AI. Now, it’s time for federal leaders to step up as well, by establishing national standards that complement and build on the states’ momentum, not undercut it.
We’re grateful to so many of our partners, whose advocacy and research helped make this victory possible, including Demand Progress, Americans for Responsible Innovation, Tech Oversight Project, Common Sense Media, Encode AI, and many others. Because of their work, the AI landscape will be more innovative, more competitive, and far more accountable.
