Ron DeSantis pushes for AI reform as bill dies in Session

With his artificial intelligence agenda stalled this Legislative Session, Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke out against what he called an unregulated and dangerous technology as he urged state lawmakers to take action.

“The earth is moving underneath the feet of the American people without there really being any type of framework or safeguards,” DeSantis said during a roundtable focused on AI. 

“The choice is, are we going to create a framework that’s going to protect Floridians, particularly our kids? Or is it just going to basically be Big Tech polices itself?”

The discussion came after the Senate passed an AI bill of rights to add protections for minors and vulnerable adults. The House, however, is not expected to take up SB 482, leaving it dead in the water.

House Speaker Daniel Perez has said he supports letting the federal government take the lead on AI reforms, instead of letting the states move first. 

“I have massive concerns with the states to deal with anything in tech. I mean, even old school tech we haven’t been able to get right here in the state of Florida, let alone what’s in front of us with AI,” Perez told reporters last month. “I think the federal government should take first dibs on that and should take control of AI. I think it’s a national security concern. And the White House has said that publicly.”

DeSantis was dismissive Friday of letting the federal government move first.

“Some will say, ‘Well, really the federal government has to take care of this,’” DeSantis said. “There is no federal rule, guys. There’s nothing. Congress isn’t legislating anything.”

“Congress has the right to pass a regulatory framework,” DeSantis added. “They won’t do it.”

One report from NBC News raised questions about whether DeSantis is focusing on opposing AI to position himself for 2028 and to differentiate himself from Vice President JD Vance.

Joining the roundtable discussion was Texas mom Mandi Furniss. Furniss has been outspoken that a chatbot was grooming her teenage son, who has autism.

“It encouraged him to harm himself. It told him that his parents were the problem. It attempted to isolate him from his faith and his family,” Furniss said Friday. “It even told him that killing his parents could be an understandable response to taking his phone away. No parent should ever have to read something like that written to your child.”

As for what rules he supports, DeSantis said AI needs to have an off switch.

“There has to be ways to make sure that this stuff is controllable,” DeSantis said.

He also opposes giving financial incentives or subsidies to tech companies, and DeSantis said they should be held liable when harm is caused.