Lawmakers Push AI Scam Bill as 3 GOP Senators Press Safety Curbs Despite Trump Resistance
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Sep 21
Lawmakers Push AI Scam Bill as 3 GOP Senators Press Safety Curbs Despite Trump Resistance
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Sep 21
Summary
A bipartisan bill targeting AI-powered online scams has become the latest vehicle for Congress’ widening AI safety debate, as lawmakers search for a tangible response to mounting public concern.
Three Republican senators — John Curtis, Josh Hawley and John Kennedy — are separately pressing Senate leaders to act on AI risks, with Hawley also planning a hearing on AI-powered Flock cameras and probing OpenAI over rogue agents.
That push runs into resistance from President Donald Trump, who last week opposed new AI laws and this weekend instead floated an “AI Force” and AI czar with few details on authority or congressional involvement.
Nvidia is lobbying hard against tighter export controls on advanced chips to China, but some lawmakers say CEO Jensen Huang has sounded dismissive of AI dangers and workforce disruption as Capitol Hill’s mood shifts toward regulation.
The fight now stretches from consumer fraud to national security, with possible AI guardrails still in play for this fall’s defense policy bill even as Senate Republicans doubt major legislation can clear Trump-aligned House leaders.
With tech leaders fighting export limits, will the push to protect consumers inadvertently surrender global artificial intelligence dominance to foreign rivals?
As AI voice clones drain millions from unsuspecting families, can new federal labeling laws truly outpace the criminals weaponizing this technology?
If corporations are already using AI to secretly manipulate consumer prices, how can proposed federal audits successfully uncover these hidden algorithms?