AUGUSTA – On Friday, 39 Maine state lawmakers signed onto a letter spearheaded by Rep. Amy Kuhn, D-Falmouth, urging Sen. Susan Collins to reject a provision in the reconciliation bill currently moving through Congress that would prohibit states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for the next 10 years.
In the letter, the lawmakers highlighted some of the emerging threats of AI technology to Mainers, as well as successful efforts this legislative session to pass legislation that provides common-sense solutions to some of the most obvious and dangerous risks posed by AI.
“Artificial intelligence will continue to evolve and expand rapidly over the next decade,” said Kuhn. “Putting restrictions on the state's ability to provide consumer protections against adverse uses of AI is dangerous and puts Mainers at risk. I strongly urge Senator Collins to oppose this provision and this bill.”
The proposed language has spurred national bipartisan opposition. Last month, 40 attorneys general wrote a letter to Congress decrying this provision of the bill, calling it “wholly destructive” to state efforts to provide consumer safeguards. A survey conducted by the Institute for Family Studies found that voters oppose the moratorium by a margin of 3 to 1.
Representative Kuhn is serving her second term in the Maine House and represents part of Falmouth. She is the House chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary.
Contact:
Brian Lee (Kuhn) | 305-965-2744