Trump says he's signing an executive order to block states from regulating AI

President Donald Trump said he will sign an executive order this week to bar states from regulating artificial intelligence.

"There must be only one rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI," the president said in a Monday morning social media post. He added that the U.S.'s lead in developing the technology "won't last long" if there are 50 different sets of AI rules in place.

"You can't expect a company to get 50 approvals every time they want to do something," he said.

It's not clear whether such an order would kick in immediately or sometime next year. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said in a CNBC interview Monday that the order would help clarify the regulatory landscape for AI firms.

“There are some states that want to regulate these companies within an inch of their lives,” Hassett said. “This executive order that he’s promised to come out is going to make it clear that there’s one set of rules for American companies in the U.S.”

The order would hand a victory for companies like OpenAI, which has argued that maneuvering through a thicket of differing AI rules is damaging to the sector's competitiveness.

As AI usage has proliferated among companies and the public, it has prompted concerns from tech safety advocates about how to adopt a cutting-edge technology capable of streamlining decision-making while also ensuring its used safely.

Earlier GOP attempts to pass a moratorium in Congress have twice collapsed this year in the face of opposition from conservatives who usually favor states' rights. In addition, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders have criticized the concept of the federal government overriding states on the matter.