AI Regulation Battle Looms in California Despite Trump Threats

This year, many of the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence companies face a pitched battle over government regulation on their home turf — California.

And even President Donald Trump’s threat to punish states that regulate AI may not stop the fight.

California lawmakers, dominated by Democrats, are determined to place guardrails on the homegrown industry, saying unfettered AI poses a mental health risk to children and adults alike. They scoff at Trump’s executive order in December to withhold federal funding from states that adopt AI rules, saying it’s their responsibility to act. And while companies have launched a lobbying blitz to block what they consider onerous regulations, legislators say ...