Innovation and Technology

Washington, D.C. –  In response to President Trump’s executive order on state regulation of artificial intelligence, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“As the president demonstrates his commitment to both advancing American technological dominance and bolstering investment in manufacturing, he is rightly recognizing that winning the global race for AI hinges on getting AI policy right, which means avoiding a cumbersome 50-state patchwork of laws and regulations that would throttle interstate commerce, stifle innovation, limit AI adoption and erode America’s competitive edge.

“As we laid out in ‘Manufacturing’s Roadmap to AI and Energy Dominance,’ policymakers should review existing laws and regulations to identify barriers to innovation, ensure context-specific rules, encourage transparency and ensure a level playing field for developers and manufacturers alike. AI innovations are already transforming shop floors across the country. Fifty-one percent of manufacturers surveyed by the Manufacturing Leadership Council already have embedded AI in their operations, and 80% expect it to be essential for their operations by 2030.

“Manufacturers support the administration’s approach toward avoiding a 50-state patchwork that would prevent America from winning the global AI race. Instead of a complex, costly and burdensome patchwork, manufacturers back tailored rules that narrowly target specific use-cases and well-identified risks without diminishing the potential breakthroughs and economic impact that could be harnessed by American innovators. We encourage Congress to emulate the president’s risk-based approach with legislation that will codify his administration’s vision of a streamlined and nimble AI agenda to support competition and American innovation.”

-NAM-