Florida’s AI wake-up call after Pentagon controversy

Despite support from Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Senate, efforts to place guardrails on the use of artificial intelligence in Florida have stalled. With the pace at which technology is accelerating, our elected officials may have missed a meaningful opportunity for action — but this critical debate will undoubtedly continue.

We all agree that Florida must lead on AI for the benefit of our state’s economy and future. Still, regulatory policy should reflect the will of the people, not big corporations or career politicians in Tallahassee and Washington.

Those competing interests were on full display in the widely reported contract dispute between AI company Anthropic and the Pentagon. At the end of the day, the Department of War decided to disregard serious issues related to autonomous weapons and mass surveillance to get a deal done on its terms. But does that deal really account for the opinions of everyday Americans?

Recent polling by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation shows the public has a clear preference when it comes to deploying AI-controlled weapons: Nearly 8 in 10 respondents say a human being should always make the final call before any use of lethal force.

When it comes to matters of life and death, we should leave decision-making up to flesh-and-blood warfighters while providing the best training and tools at the Pentagon’s disposal. Commonsense Americans know there is a human element to lethal combat that machines will never supplant.

The same can be said for issues related to AI-powered, domestic mass surveillance, which a majority of the public deems a dangerous violation of personal privacy and civil liberties.

These concerns aren’t just conversations heard around the dinner table. There is hard data behind Americans’ desire for prudent AI safeguards — and not just at the Pentagon. Here in Florida, the policies we enact now will have a tremendous impact on the future of the job market and how our kids engage with this emerging technology.

That’s why the recent roadblock of Florida’s AI Bill of Rights has been so dispiriting.

Although the devil is in the details, most families and communities are eager for measures that stop minors from misusing AI, implement controls on how the government can wield it, and protect consumers amid an era of rapid change.

There is broad agreement on these points: according to a new survey, 96% of adults say children should be shielded from specific online platforms. Americans share similar fears about AI’s impact on the future of labor, with a separate poll reporting that 63% of adults predict advances in AI will produce a net decline in jobs.

This widespread anxiety signals that we need more open dialogue about the far-reaching effects of AI — and how proper safeguards can help prevent its unintended applications and consequences. Now is the time for everyday Americans to speak up, so our leaders better understand both AI’s transformative power and unbridled potential.

We may have missed our chance during this state Legislative Session, but Congress still has the chance to act by establishing a commonsense framework on AI.

As Florida and the nation stand at this technological crossroads, the public is telling us they want innovation paired with guardrails that protect privacy, jobs, and our children’s futures.

We don’t have to choose between progress and prudence, but we must act soon before it is too late.

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Maurice Langston Is Chair of the Florida Council for Safe Communities.