Congress is debating how — and whether — to regulate artificial intelligence, but meaningful legislation appears unlikely in the near term as key leaders pump the brakes on swift action.
Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei is among those who have warned about the development of AI, joining a chorus of current and former employees of major AI companies raising alarms on Capitol Hill.
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Monday calling those warnings a hoax, suggesting nefarious actors seeking to damage the United States may be behind the push to regulate the technology. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has echoed that caution, signaling the House does not want to move too quickly on AI legislation.
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Among the proposals being discussed is a so-called kill switch law that would allow the federal government to shut down AI systems if they are deemed out of control. But with top leaders resistant to fast action, that and other ideas remain in early stages.
A complicating factor is that many lawmakers still do not fully understand artificial intelligence or the threats it may pose — making it difficult to build support for specific legislation. Briefings between lawmakers and leaders of major AI companies are expected in the coming days.
"Everybody has different ideas on this. We have to be very careful about this, as I've explained and many people have explained. We have to maintain our edge over China. So we will strike the right balance, but we are not going to act irrationally or haphazardly," Johnson said.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for faster action.
"And it requires decisive congressional action immediately in a manner consistent with what some of the leading AI voices in the country are now saying," Jeffries said.
While AI legislation stalls, the House is expected to vote Tuesday on the Ratepayer Protection Act — a bipartisan bill targeting the financial impact of data centers on nearby communities. The legislation would strongly encourage utility boards across the country to ensure that costs associated with building and operating data centers are not passed on to residents living nearby.
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Multiple studies have shown that electricity and water bills have increased for individuals living near data centers in recent years. The bill aligns with Trump's stated position that he supports data center construction but wants tech companies — not surrounding communities — to bear the associated costs.
The Senate has already signaled caution about the Ratepayer Protection Act's prospects in their chamber.
