Eliminating State Law "Obstruction" of National Artificial Intelligence ...

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# A blog from the Yale Journal on Regulation and ABA Section of Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice.

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According to news reports, the Trump Administration recently contemplated issuing an executive order aimed at combatting state restrictions on the development of artificial intelligence (“AI”).  A leaked draft has been widely discussed in the press (and, indeed, is available on-line). [**\[1\]**](https://www.yalejreg.com/nc/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy-%E2%94%80-part-i/#_ftn1)  The Administration has reportedly decided to cease work on the executive order, [**\[2\]**](https://www.yalejreg.com/nc/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy-%E2%94%80-part-i/#_ftn2) but could resurrect it if a recent legislative initiative pursuing the same goal fails. But the Justice Department needs no formal presidential directive to pursue some of the litigation initiatives identified in the leaked draft executive order. [**\[3\]**](https://www.yalejreg.com/nc/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy-%E2%94%80-part-i/#_ftn3)  This three-post series discusses the executive order and the proposed litigation initiative to use the dormant commerce clause doctrine to seek judicial invalidation of state laws regulating aspects of artificial intelligence.

## **The Contemplated Executive Order**

In the usual grandiloquent terms of recent executive orders, the draft order announces a policy of sustaining and enhancing America’s global artificial intelligence dominance by establishing a minimally burdensome, uniform national policy framework for artificial intelligence to flourish.  Draft Executive Order, Eliminating State Law Obstruction of National AI policy, §3(undated).  It asserts that the American AI sector “must be free to innovate without cumbersome regulation.”  Id., §2. [**\[4\]**](https://www.yalejreg.com/nc/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy-%E2%94%80-part-i/#_ftn4)

However, it notes, state legislators have introduced over 1000 bills that threaten to undermine the “innovative culture” essential to winning the race against China for AI preeminence.  Id., §1. [**\[5\]**](https://www.yalejreg.com/nc/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy-%E2%94%80-part-i/#_ftn5)  It cites as examples California’s imposition of disclosure and reporting requirements on AI companies and Colorado’s bill targeting “algorithmic discrimination.” Id., §1.  The latter seeks to prevent AI from pr

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