By Staff Report
President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his push for federal control over artificial intelligence regulation just as Florida lawmakers begin examining how AI is affecting the state.
“There must be only One Rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that he plans to sign an executive order on the issue this week.
“We are beating ALL COUNTRIES at this point in the race, but that won’t last long if we are going to have 50 States, many of them bad actors, involved in RULES and the APPROVAL PROCESS,” Trump wrote. “You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something. THAT WILL NEVER WORK!”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, however, has objected to federal preemption of state-level AI laws. Posting Monday on X, he said an executive order could not override state legislation.
“Congress could, theoretically, preempt states through legislation,” DeSantis wrote. “The problem is that Congress hasn’t proposed any coherent regulatory scheme but instead just wanted to block states from doing anything for 10 years, which would be an AI amnesty. I doubt Congress has the votes to pass this because it is so unpopular with the public.”
On Tuesday, several Florida House panels will begin discussions on AI-related issues. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, has declared it “Artificial Intelligence Week,” but his office said the discussions are not a precursor to sweeping state regulations.
“AI is a transformative technology, and like all technology it can have positive and negative impacts,” House spokeswoman Amelia Angleton said in a statement. “Our intention is to have a thoughtful discussion about AI in various policy areas and look at how current or potential uses align or misalign with Florida’s laws. Any conversation about a larger regulatory framework should be had at the federal level, not in the states.”
Topics scheduled for review include the impact of data centers on electric utilities, workforce challenges posed by AI, its use in emergency management, and how AI is affecting legal practice.
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said Monday he wants to see the details of Trump’s expected executive order.
“The president has a view about this which is more global … about national defense,” Albritton said. “If AI can help us defend this country more readily and more efficiently, I’m all in.”
At the same time, he said he appreciates DeSantis’ focus on protecting Floridians “on a personal or individual basis.”
DeSantis strongly opposed a provision in the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that would have blocked states from regulating AI for 10 years. The measure failed to pass, and he has since said such a preemption would leave the public vulnerable.
“That is basically saying, ‘Let the handful of tech companies drive the train, and we’re just along for the ride,’” DeSantis said during an appearance in The Villages last week.
DeSantis has also warned AI could usher in an “age of darkness and deceit” without proper safeguards. He continues to push for a Florida “citizens bill of rights” on AI, addressing concerns such as deepfake videos, Chinese-developed AI technologies, and the environmental and utility impacts of large data centers.
Ali Moreland 
AMBER PATINO