Two lawmakers have released a draft bipartisan bill to establish a national regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, including increased penalties for AI-enabled fraud and temporary preemption of state laws regulating AI models.
The Great American AI Act by Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) would create new requirements for AI developers to publish frontier AI frameworks outlining catastrophic-risk mitigation, security procedures and model deployment safeguards and to be audited by independent verification organizations that the Department of Commerce would oversee.
Among its provisions, the bill would double the fines for federal mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering when AI is used. It would preempt state laws regulating AI models but preserve laws regulating AI use or deployment. The provision would sunset after three years. The bill also would renew the Cybersecurity Act of 2015, which provides liability, privacy and antitrust protections for the sharing of vulnerabilities and incidents.
In a joint statement, the two lawmakers said the discussion draft is meant to solicit feedback before it is formally introduced. The bill has support from at least four other lawmakers from both parties.
The draft bill comes only a few days after President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to counter the potential cybersecurity threats posed by AI. Trump has also directed agencies to challenge state laws he said impede AI development.
