Moving forward, Congress will need to explicitly state if federal agencies should lead on AI regulation when passing new laws. However, there is no guarantee that this will happen, as it depends on the makeup of Congress. The Republican party’s platform expresses an intention to overturn the existing AI Executive Order, citing a belief that existing laws already govern AI appropriately. This could result in reduced regulations and a focus on AI development rooted in free speech and human flourishing.
The Supreme Court’s decision and potential political shifts will lead to a different AI regulatory environment in the U.S. It raises concerns about the ability of specialized federal agencies to enforce meaningful AI regulations, which could slow or thwart regulation in a dynamic and technical field like AI. A change in leadership could also impact AI regulatory efforts, with conservatives likely resulting in less regulation and more lenient restrictions on businesses developing and using AI technologies. This contrasts with the UK’s promise of binding regulation on powerful AI models and the EU’s recently passed AI Act.
The net effect of these changes could be less global alignment on AI regulation, which may complicate international research partnerships, data sharing agreements, and the development of global AI standards. Less regulation of AI could spur innovation in the U.S., but also raise concerns about ethics, safety, and job displacement. In response, major AI companies may proactively collaborate on ethical uses and safety guidelines, while also focusing on developing more interpretable and auditable AI systems.
Amidst this period of uncertainty, collaboration between policymakers, industry leaders, and the tech community is crucial to ensure ethical and beneficial AI development. Unified efforts are necessary to address concerns and maintain trust in AI technologies and the companies behind them.
