Commerce Department names onerous state AI laws targeted for federal preemption

The Commerce Department published a list of state AI regulations it designated as onerous and announced the administration would seek federal preemption of those laws by a deadline of March 10, 2026. The order directed federal agencies to identify and challenge state laws that imposed safety or transparency requirements on AI systems the administration viewed as conflicting with federal AI development goals. At least 17 states had passed AI-related legislation since 2023 that now faced potential nullification.