ONE NATIONAL AI RULEBOOK? PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

The President is preparing a “One Rule” executive order for artificial intelligence—one national set of regulations instead of a patchwork of state laws. His argument is that America is in a superpower race with China, and requiring companies to navigate 50 different approval systems would crush innovation before it even gets off the ground. On that point, I actually agree with him—to a degree. We’ve seen how fragmented rules create chaos before, from gasoline blends to energy infrastructure. One clear standard can make sense in certain industries. 

But here’s the problem: AI isn’t just another commodity. It touches speech, data, privacy, children, elections, insurance, healthcare, facial recognition, deepfakes, and national security. That’s precisely why states must retain the right to protect their residents when Washington moves too slow—or in the wrong direction. 

Take Florida’s proposed AI Bill of Rights. It includes: 

• • Bans on deepfakes and exploitative AI content involving minors
  • Prohibitions on using a person’s likeness without consent
  • Parental controls and safeguards for children interacting with AI
  • Transparency when users are engaging with AI instead of humans
  • Limits on AI being used as the sole decision-maker for insurance claims
  • Data privacy protections and bans on Chinese-controlled AI tools
  • No taxpayer subsidies for massive data centers
  • Protection of water, power grids, agriculture, and local zoning authority

None of this slows innovation. It protects people. 

I support American leadership in AI. I do not support sacrificing constitutional principles, state authority, consumer rights, or child safety in the name of “speed.” Innovation without guardrails isn’t leadership—it’s recklessness. 

If Washington wants one national standard, it better meet or exceed the protections already being built at the state level. Otherwise, this becomes another example of federal power overruling local accountability in favor of corporate acceleration. 

Leadership in AI matters. So does the Constitution.