As the national voice for Little Tech, startups, and American entrepreneurs, we understand what it takes to build a business and a product that can change the world. However, complying with a patchwork of state regulatory regimes on a paper-thin budget has become a complete barrier to entry for startups. Right now, Congress is thinking carefully about how to protect Little Tech from the impossible task of complying with 50 different sets of rules across the nation.

The American Innovators Network welcomes the efforts of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to include a temporary pause in state AI regulation in the pending Senate reconciliation package and we encourage Senators in both parties to support this policy. The fact that Congress is having this debate highlights the impacts of a fragmented, state-by-state approach to regulating AI: sidelining innovation, shrinking competition, and holding back the United States in the global AI race against China. We believe there’s a principled role for both state and federal policymakers in shaping the future of AI, and one that recognizes the pivotal moment that our nation is facing.

AIN will begin activating our advocates in all 50 states to reach out to their Senators to support a temporary pause in state AI regulation, ensuring Little Tech, startups, and the next generation of entrepreneurs have a chance to not only succeed but thrive in the United States. In the meantime, AIN is committed to working with state lawmakers on model AI legislation that strikes a fair balance between establishing reasonable guardrails and fostering innovation.

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The American Innovators Network partners include Andreessen Horowitz, Anyscale, Exowatt, Scale AI, Sourcegraph, and Y Combinator.