Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed an “AI Bill of Rights” to protect Floridians in the face of rapid advances in AI, with a focus on transparency and control of personal data.
TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis introduced a new bill aimed at strengthening safeguards for artificial intelligence.
It’s a powerful technology that’s evolving at lightning speed, and the governor is trying to keep pace by promoting a so-called “AI Bill of Rights.”
“This is basically a protection against this technology running amok in a way that can harm individuals,” DeSantis said. “It’s real. It’s going to impact people’s lives.”
The new proposal includes parental controls and safeguards to ensure the security of personal information.
“We think there should be transparency to consumers and there should be notification that they are acting with artificial intelligence,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis believes that President Trump’s executive order limiting some AI regulations at the state level does not prevent Florida from moving forward with its own safeguards and consumer protections.
“We anticipate that this will be a topic that we will need to pay attention to,” said John Licato, an associate professor at USF.
Licato runs an AI tech startup backed by Embarc Collective.
“A lot of the technology that makes drug discovery and healthcare more accessible and affordable is also covered by AI, so we don’t want to restrict that, and we want to be careful not to over-regulate that,” Licato said.
Licato said companies can add additional guardrails, but all must meet the same basic standards.
“We must always be aware of the ethical constraints that limit us, and these are arguably clearer than the legal constraints,” Licato said.
Governor DeSantis’ plan also targets large-scale AI data centers. The proposal ensures that Floridians do not pay for them and protects local control and Florida’s natural resources.
