(Editor’s note: Sen. Marsha Blackburn has offered this response to a recent Free Press editorial addressing her inconsistencies on state regulation of AI. Her response does not change our position, which is based on her record. Sen. Blackburn has at least twice changed her stance from supporting to opposing state control, most recently aligning with President Donald Trump in calling for federal regulation.)
In the December 26 edition of the Free Press Weekend Dialogue, Mr. Clint Cooper ignored my longstanding, public record on artificial intelligence to provide a confused and misinformed account of my positions, going so far as to claim that I have been “all over the waterfront” on the issue. His charge demonstrates a deep misunderstanding of both my work in the Senate and the state of play with AI policy.
(READ MORE: Free Press Weekend Dialogue: Blackburn has taken various stances on AI regulation)
When it comes to regulating AI, I have been consistent and clear: Congress must pass federal guardrails that protect children, creators, conservatives, and communities from the harms posed by this emerging technology. Until then, state laws that are filling the breach and protecting Americans must stay in place.
As a member of both the Senate Commerce Committee and Judiciary Committee, I have led the effort to establish federal standards to govern the virtual space, including AI. My Kids Online Safety Act would protect children on social media, and my NO FAKES Act would protect musical artists from AI abuses of their voice and likeness. I’ve also raised the alarm about anti-conservative bias in AI systems and repeatedly demanded accountability from Big Tech executives.