California Officials Stand Up Against Trump’s Corporate-Driven AI Power Grab
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California leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, denounce President Trump’s executive order that seeks to strip states of their right to regulate AI, warning it serves corporate interests and threatens democracy.
California officials have mounted a fierce resistance to President Donald Trump’s latest executive order, which aims to strip states of their ability to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in favor of unchecked federal—and corporate—control. Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the order, calling it a vehicle for 'grift and corruption' that prioritizes the profits of tech giants over the public good and genuine innovation.
The executive order instructs federal agencies to actively undermine state-level AI protections and threatens to withhold federal funding from states that dare to challenge corporate interests with regulations deemed 'obstructive' to innovation. While tech corporations, eager to dodge meaningful oversight, have welcomed this move, it faces mounting political and legal opposition from those who value democracy and public safety over Silicon Valley’s bottom line.
California, a global leader in AI development, has taken bold steps to protect its residents. In September, Governor Newsom signed landmark legislation requiring AI developers to publish transparency reports and immediately disclose safety incidents, with penalties of up to $1 million for those who flout the law. This proactive approach is now under threat from Trump’s administration, which seeks to roll back hard-won protections.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced plans to scrutinize the legality of Trump’s executive order, signaling a coming legal battle to defend California’s right to safeguard its people from reckless AI deployment.
Labor leaders and child advocacy groups have also condemned the order. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called it a blatant attempt to undermine AI safety and hand unchecked power to tech billionaires, putting workers and vulnerable communities at risk.
This escalating conflict highlights the urgent struggle between federal overreach and states’ rights, with California officials fighting to ensure that AI development serves the public interest, not just the profits of the powerful.
Source
The GuardianFact-checking
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