On March 20, the White House issued its “National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence,” identifying the following priority areas for congressional action: (i) protecting children online and empowering parents; (ii) ensuring affordable energy for consumers; (iii) streamlining federal permitting for AI infrastructure; (iv) combating AI-enabled fraud; (v) education and development of a workforce ready for AI; (vi) protecting intellectual property rights; (vii) preventing government censorship of AI platforms; and (viii) promoting innovation while preempting burdensome state AI laws.

The framework calls for enhanced law enforcement tools to address AI-enabled impersonation scams targeting vulnerable populations and recommends establishing regulatory sandboxes to encourage innovation in AI applications. It advocates federal preemption of state AI laws deemed to impose undue burdens on innovation, while preserving states’ traditional police powers to enforce laws of general applicability, such as fraud prevention and consumer protection measures. The administration warned about state laws that could undermine U.S. leadership in AI and advised against creating a new federal agency to regulate AI, recommending instead sector-specific oversight by existing regulators and industry-led standards.