Let America Lead on AI

America’s future depends on responsible, innovative leadership in artificial intelligence. Implementing a national learning period on AI would provide Congress with the time to develop comprehensive national regulatory frameworks that foster economic growth, innovation, and maintain American competitiveness in the global AI race. 

As the Wall Street Journal reports, adversaries like China are already showing signs of taking the lead. If we want to protect consumers, empower small businesses, and keep America ahead, we need a unified national approach, not a confusing jumble of state-level regulations. Over the past year, more than a thousand AI-related bills have flooded statehouses across the country, threatening a conflicting patchwork of laws that will undermine America’s global leadership in the tech sector.

Data and emerging technologies like AI do not stop at state borders. When each state writes its own set of rules, businesses—especially small businesses—are forced to navigate a maze of contradictory requirements, stifling growth at a time when our economy needs to stay nimble and competitive.

Patchwork of AI Laws Will Hinder Business 

The Chamber’s Empowering Small Business report found that small businesses that use AI tools are thriving, but most owners worry that varying state laws will drive up their own compliance costs and increase litigation risks. For many, this amounts to a tax on innovation, diverting resources from hiring and investment to lawyers and lobbyists. The result? Fewer opportunities for entrepreneurs and less access to cutting-edge AI tools that could help them compete and grow.  

Some frame the proposed pause on state-specific AI regulations as a “ban,” but in reality, a time-limited approach gives Congress the breathing room to develop a thoughtful, unified federal framework for AI. This would enable small businesses to channel their resources into growth and innovation, rather than being burdened by navigating complex compliance requirements. 

Rushed, state-by-state action—like what we’ve seen in Colorado, California, and New York— risks stifling innovation and putting unnecessary barriers in front of American developers and users. Rather than empowering local communities, a fragmented approach will only empower America’s global competitors, who benefit when U.S. businesses are bogged down by regulatory confusion.

A National Learning Period for AI 

During a learning period, Congress would not be idle. Bipartisan efforts are already underway: the Senate’s “AI Road Map” and the House AI Task Force both call for identifying gaps in current laws and crafting targeted, sector-specific regulations. The recent enactment of the TAKE IT DOWN Act proves that Congress can act swiftly and decisively when the stakes are high. With the right focus and enough time, Congress is well-positioned to lead, ensuring that the rules governing AI are clear, consistent, and effective across all 50 states.  

Critics claim that a national learning period would leave Americans vulnerable to AI-related harms. This is simply not true. Federal regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, already have broad authority to police unfair and deceptive business practices, civil rights violations, and even deepfakes, regardless of whether AI is involved. State attorneys general can still enforce privacy, copyright, discrimination, and consumer protection laws so long as those laws apply to all technologies, not just AI. 

America Needs the Ability to Compete 

When it comes to technologies that are borderless by nature, like AI, the Constitution rightly gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce. Allowing a patchwork of state laws to dictate the future of AI would only invite regulatory chaos, slow economic growth, and give China and other competitors a leg up in the race for technological dominance.  

We are at a crossroads of American technology leadership and innovation. We can either head down the path of regulatory chaos and confusion that will hold back America and small businesses’ ability to compete, or we can pursue a path of uniform rules that promote free enterprise, responsible innovation, and economic growth. The path we go down today will determine whether the United States continues to be the global leader in innovation—or falls behind in a world that won’t wait.

About the author

Neil Bradley

Neil Bradley is executive vice president, chief policy officer, and head of strategic advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He has spent two decades working directly with congressional committee chairpersons and other high-ranking policymakers to achieve solutions.

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