ACT | The App Association has expressed its continued support for the AI Pause included in the recent budget reconciliation bill. This provision is seen as beneficial to small technology companies, offering them clarity and confidence to invest in new technologies.
Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association, stated, "The updated provision is an example of well-balanced policy that gives small business innovators clarity and confidence to make big, multi-year bets on new tech. It also gives policymakers the space to address bad actors who are just using AI as a new vector to continue harassing or misleading consumers."
Reed emphasized the agility of smaller tech firms compared to larger ones, highlighting their ability to develop and deploy artificial intelligence for innovative consumer products and services. He noted that this provision allows these companies "the room to continue leading the world."
The association supports several aspects of the updated provision:
- A clearer focus on state laws regulating AI technology while maintaining general applicability laws covering conduct involving AI.
- Its role as a foundation for Congress to adopt a federal framework reflecting U.S. AI priorities both domestically and globally.
- The inclusion of additional funding for state AI budgets.