Artificial Intelligence is advancing faster than lawmakers can keep up — and now the federal government wants to silence the only voices that are acting: the states.

President Trump just signed an executive order that aims to block state governments from regulating AI, including existing laws that require transparency, fairness, and ethical use of the technology.

The order even authorizes a special litigation task force to sue states that get in the way of the administration’s “light-touch” approach to AI regulation.

That’s not leadership — that’s a power grab.

Many states have already taken action to regulate AI in ways that reflect local values and urgent risks: protecting kids from harmful content, ensuring AI doesn’t discriminate in hiring or housing, requiring disclosures in political ads, and overseeing how AI is used in schools, policing, and health care.

If the federal government has failed to pass meaningful laws — and Congress has failed multiple times — the states must remain free to act.

This is not about opposing innovation. It’s about preserving democracy, safety, and the right of every community to shape how powerful technologies impact their lives. From noise and energy use in AI-driven data centers to algorithmic bias and privacy threats, states are closest to the people — and they must not be forced into silence.

We call on Congress, governors, attorneys general, and state legislatures to:

• Publicly reject the executive order as an unconstitutional overreach
• Pass state-level resolutions affirming the right to legislate on AI
• Refuse federal funding conditions that require surrendering regulatory authority
• Defend existing state AI laws in court and protect local governments' ability to act.

Add your name if you believe states should keep the power to protect their people in the age of AI.