The U.S. Senate just killed a controversial AI regulation moratorium in a 99-1 vote. The provision, part of President Trump’s spending and tax bill, would have blocked any state law regulating AI for 10 years. States passing such laws risked losing up to $500 million in federal funding for broadband and AI infrastructure.
The moratorium was pushed by AI companies worried state rules would stifle innovation. But it faced fierce opposition from a bipartisan mix of lawmakers, including 17 Republican governors, state attorneys general, and legislators.
Senators scrapped the measure hours before the final bill vote. The rejection signals broad political support for allowing AI regulation at the state level. 
This defeat aligns with public opinion. A new national poll shows 58% of Americans want strict AI regulation. Majorities of both Democrats (66%) and Republicans (54%) also back it.
The poll reveals Americans are wary of AI’s risks: 65% expect AI to spread false info; 56% see it as a threat to humanity’s future. Only about 3 in 10 think AI will boost productivity or improve the economy.
Political scientists who ran the poll highlight the unusual bipartisan consensus on AI fears — a rare point of agreement in today’s divided U.S. politics.
The coming years will likely see heated debates at both state and federal levels over AI rules. Public concerns may push lawmakers to craft stronger guardrails around the technology.
Political scientists who ran the poll commented:
"Lawmakers and technology leaders alike could address this anxiety by better communicating the pitfalls and potential of AI, and take seriously the concerns of the public. After all, the public is not alone in its trepidation. Many experts in the field also have substantial worries about the future of AI."
"One of the fundamental political questions moving forward, then, will be to what degree regulators put guardrails on this emerging and transformative technology in order to protect Americans from AI’s negative consequences."
