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🛑 DeSantis Sounds the Alarm on AI: Florida AI Strategy to Curb Tech Overreach

NewBits Digest banner, featured in article on Florida AI strategy, highlighting DeSantis' veto and plans for AI regulation at the state level.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is taking a firm stance against the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, calling AI “dangerous” and warning against handing over control to “tech overlords.” In a move that signals growing political attention on AI regulation, DeSantis announced that Florida will develop its own state-level plan to manage the AI revolution—though details and timing remain unclear.


⚖️ Background: Vetoing the AI & Automation Bill


Last month, DeSantis vetoed a bill focused on AI and automation that had passed the Florida Legislature with overwhelming support—receiving only a single dissenting vote. The bill would have directed part of the state commerce department to study the economic impact of AI, including job losses and gains caused by automation and related technologies.


By vetoing this bill, DeSantis signaled his intention to take a different approach from what lawmakers had proposed.


🗣️ DeSantis’ Position on AI


The governor made clear that ignoring AI is not an option:


“We can’t put our head in the sand and just say we’re not going to deal with AI at all because it is becoming a fact of life.”

But he also warned that unchecked AI development risks handing too much power to big tech companies:


“But we can’t just turn the reins over to a bunch of tech overlords. That doesn’t work.”

🔍 What the Florida AI Strategy Could Look Like


While DeSantis did not reveal specific details or a timeline for Florida’s AI plan, experts and observers expect it to focus on:


  • Protecting Floridians’ jobs from automation displacement


  • Establishing state-level regulatory guardrails around AI development and deployment


  • Ensuring transparency and accountability from AI vendors operating in the state


  • Balancing innovation with public safety and privacy concerns


Florida’s approach may also reflect broader political concerns about Big Tech’s growing influence and the need for states to assert control where federal policy is lagging.


🌍 The Growing Patchwork of AI Governance


DeSantis’ move highlights a broader trend: as federal lawmakers and regulators grapple with AI oversight, states are increasingly stepping up to fill the void with their own policies. This could lead to:


  • A patchwork of state AI regulations that companies must navigate


  • Political battles over the scope and direction of AI governance


  • Emerging models for how AI can be controlled at regional levels


🚨 Why It’s Important


AI is advancing faster than many expected, raising urgent questions about:


  • The future of work and job security


  • Data privacy and security risks


  • The concentration of AI power in a handful of tech giants


  • Ethical concerns around AI decision-making


DeSantis’ comments and veto illustrate the rising political pressure to address these issues head-on—especially in states with growing tech sectors and large workforces vulnerable to automation.


🔮 What’s Next


  • Florida will announce its AI strategy in due course, though no timeline has been given.


  • The plan could influence how other states approach AI governance.


  • Expect ongoing debate between policymakers, tech industry leaders, and advocates over the right balance between innovation, regulation, and protection.


📢 Bottom Line


Florida’s AI future is taking shape—and DeSantis wants the state to lead the charge on AI oversight rather than follow the tech giants’ lead.


Whether this approach curbs AI risks or slows innovation remains to be seen. What’s clear: AI regulation is no longer just a federal issue—it’s becoming a key battleground at the state level.




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