AI Entrepreneurs Need Champions in Congress

The American Innovators Network (AIN) believes Little Tech—American startups, entrepreneurs, and risk-takers—represents the past, present, and future of American greatness in Artificial Intelligence.

Our Vision: A Strong America Through Competitive Innovation

America’s leadership in AI depends on empowering innovators, not burdening them. Paramount to this is a national AI policy that regulates the design, construction, and performance of artificial intelligence models. We stand for smart policies that protect consumers and enterprise solutions, fuel competition, and keep our nation at the forefront of technological advancements.

The future should be one where AI startups thrive, Big Tech is kept in check, and American ingenuity leads the world.

Core Policy Priorities

Lower Barriers to Innovation

To ensure America’s continued leadership in AI model development, it is essential to lower barriers for startups and always consider the disproportionate impact of regulation on small businesses. Training and employing AI models requires exceptional technical expertise and access to extensive datasets, which often pushes development toward established companies with significant resources. To fix this:

• A national standard must provide clarity and predictability for developers of AI models to support a competitive ecosystem.
• Regulation should establish a reasonable, national standard for the disclosure of information by developers of base AI models.
• Congress should perform a review of existing regulations that may create barriers to competition in AI technology, including identifying regulations that disproportionately harm startups’ ability to compete with larger platforms.

Accelerate Deployment Across Sectors

Regulatory clarity gives large companies the legal and compliance certainty needed to allocate capital and incorporate AI enterprise solutions built by startups.

• Regulatory sandboxes and streamlined permitting for data centers can further reduce obstacles and encourage innovation.
• Modernizing procurement and infrastructure policies will help ensure that startups have fair access to public resources and that regulatory frameworks empower Little Tech, not just Big Tech.

Promote Safe Consumer Engagement with AI

We must protect citizens of the United States by penalizing the harmful misuse of AI technologies, especially regarding minors who are uniquely vulnerable.

• Federal regulation must include age-based safeguards, parental controls, and clear disclosures for users under 18, while avoiding blanket prohibitions that would leave young people unprepared for an AI-driven world.
• Legislation must protect AI developers from a third party’s unlawful conduct involving their models.
• Ensure that AI is not used as a defense in any federal criminal or civil action against a defendant who is alleged to have developed or modified an AI model that caused harm to the plaintiff.
• Preserve authority for the States to regulate harms caused by the use of artificial intelligence models within their borders.

Train the Workforce

America can strengthen its existing and future AI talent pool through public education and professional training programs that build a diverse and AI-ready workforce.

• As AI transforms the economy, reskilling and upskilling programs are essential for workers displaced by automation.

Invest in AI Innovation

• Targeted support programs—such as grants, tax incentives, and technical assistance programs—can assist emerging AI companies and should be designed to reflect the company’s development stage or size.
• Strategic public investment in AI research, especially at public universities, drives breakthroughs and supports the growth of Little Tech.