Cruz's Sandbox Bill Would Let AI Avoid ‘Burdensome’ Regulation
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Wednesday released a “legislative framework” intended to allow AI deployers and developers to avoid regulations that “impede their work.”
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As part of the framework, Cruz introduced the Strengthening Artificial Intelligence Normalization and Diffusion by Oversight and Experimentation (Sandbox) Act. The bill would create regulatory sandboxes for AI companies, a policy recommended by President Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan. The bill references joint applications for projects “benefitting from both Federal and State regulatory relief.”
The framework outlined five pillars, including prevention of a patchwork of “burdensome" AI regulation. Cruz's bill calls for clarification of federal standards to prevent “burdensome” state AI regulations.
Cruz discussed the legislation during a Senate Science Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday with White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios. Cruz noted Trump saying the U.S. shouldn’t have 50 states regulating AI and asked Kratsios why the administration believes AI regulations like those in California and Colorado pose a “threat” to AI innovation.
Kratsios said the state patchwork is “anti-innovation,” it gives more power to dominant tech companies and Trump wants the U.S. to look at preemption “very closely.” Kratsios said he looks forward to working with Cruz to get the Sandbox Act passed.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., largely focused her remarks on energy infrastructure and the Middle East. But she asked Kratsios to clarify that the regulatory sandbox concept isn’t a “broad policy where you’re the AI czar, and you’re waving a wand everyday saying no and yes.”
“No,” said Kratsios. “That sits with the agencies.” He said regulatory sandboxes are an opportunity where the government can address single-use AI applications that have been limited or prohibited by a law or regulation that was created before the advent of AI technology.