The Trump administration has reportedly paused an executive order aimed at challenging state-level artificial intelligence (AI) regulations, according to sources cited by Reuters. The proposed order would have established an AI Litigation Task Force and threatened states with the loss of federal broadband funding if their AI laws were contested.
This development follows earlier efforts by the administration to consolidate AI regulatory authority at the federal level. Previously, a 10-year ban on state AI regulation was initially included in what was termed the administration's "Big Beautiful Bill," before being removed by the Senate in a 99-1 vote.
The administration's stance on AI regulation has been articulated by President Trump, who stated in a social media post earlier this week that the industry requires "one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes." The now-paused executive order was reportedly a subsequent attempt to implement this vision through legal challenges and funding incentives.
Sources indicate that the executive order, if signed, would likely have faced significant opposition. This includes criticism from some Republican lawmakers who had previously opposed the proposed moratorium on state-level AI regulation.
AI regulation remains a contentious issue within the technology sector. Industry figures have expressed differing views, with some within the Trump administration criticizing companies, such as Anthropic, for their support of AI safety legislation like California's SB 53.
