Today, the Senate voted 99-1 to strike down the AI moratorium from Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” legislation. The previously proposed moratorium, led by Senator Ted Cruz, would have blocked AI regulations for 10 years, specifically targeting states’ rights to regulate tech harms in our communities. This moratorium would’ve been a “get out of jail free card” for Big Tech, rolling back safeguards won or being fought for at the state and local level to protect our communities from the devastating racial and gender bias embedded in government and corporate deployment of AI. Though the bill will no longer include the moratorium, funding for biometric surveillance that can be used by law enforcement, like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is still on the table and would still be a massive handout to the AI Industry and Big Tech corporations.
“Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ which we’re calling the ‘Big Bad Bill’ is another egregious example of the deep collusion between Trump’s administration and the Big Tech Oligarchy, who stand to benefit the most from this legislation at the expense of our communities. While the AI moratorium has been struck down for now, the Big Bad Bill, if passed, would still be one of biggest wealth transfers to the rich and one of the largest investments proposed for state surveillance in our lifetime. We have a long fight ahead, and it’s clear to our people that continuing to fight against tech harms like surveillance and AI is paramount and central to resisting the current authoritarian regime.” said Steven Renderos, Executive Director at MediaJustice
“The impacts of AI on our communities cannot be understated. This technology, powered by data centers often housed in predominantly low-income and marginalized communities, uses an exorbitant amount of water and electricity among other significant environmental impacts. If the AI moratorium went unchecked, the environmental racism our communities are facing at the hands of Big Tech would only be accelerated. We know this won’t be our government and Big Tech’s last attempt to avoid accountability and we also know our people will continue to organize in our cities and states around these tech harms as a result.” said Myaisha Hayes, Senior Movement Building Director
To learn more about the Big Bad Bill and its harms on our communities, check out MediaJustice’s WTF: Is Going On With Trump’s Big Bad Bill? Webinar.
###
MediaJustice builds power to challenge how corporations and governments use media and technology to shape our collective future. We connect movements fighting corporate control, analyze how tech enables harmful policies, and amplify community-led alternatives to surveillance and extraction.
