Wes Moore forms bipartisan governors group on AI, citing federal inaction

BALTIMORE (AP) — Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland is forming a bipartisan group of governors to respond to mounting concerns about the threats posed by artificial intelligence as he argued that states need to fill a void left by the federal government’s inaction on the issue.

In an interview, Moore, a Democrat, criticized President Donald Trump’s meeting with AI executives at the White House this week as a “billionaire boys club.” He was also critical of Congress for leaving Washington until after next month’s midterms without addressing the rapidly evolving technology.

“The federal government has a unique leadership role that they have to play and that includes both the White House and Congress,” Moore said after speaking at an innovation conference in Baltimore. “In the absence of that, the governors cannot just sit on our hands.”

Moore is the chair of the National Governors Association this year and said his co-chair, Republican Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana, would partner with him in developing an AI framework. Other governors from both parties are planning to participate, Moore said.

Increasingly dire warnings from tech executives that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity have tested the ability of governments at all levels to respond nimbly to fast-moving developments. So far, states have been more active than the federal government, but their power is limited when it comes to dealing with a technology that spans the country and the globe.

In the past month, governors in Maryland, California, Illinois, Oregon and Virginia have issued executive orders or taken other steps intended to create some standards for the technology. Republicans have been among those taking action at the state level with governors including Spencer Cox of Utah and Greg Abbott of Texas cracking down on data center development.

However, the action has been much slower in Washington. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., hosted a briefing with lawmakers and experts last month and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has launched an investigation into OpenAI. There has been little agreement, however, on a legislative response.

At the White House, Trump has dismissed AI fears as a “hoax” and emphasized the need to remain competitive with technology developed in China. He is one of the few prominent leaders who continues to boost data centers.

Trump and tech leaders signed a voluntary accord this week that he called “morally binding” and will include internal and external reviews. After meeting with the leaders, the president praised the industry for engaging in “tremendous self-policing.”

“Who in the room was advocating for more transparency or more regulatory guardrails?” Moore said of the White House meeting. “What the president did in no way, shape or form made me feel like what the governors are now doing was now unnecessary.”

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Business Weekly

Monday Mornings

The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.

Sign up for Business Weekly

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

The debate over responding to artificial intelligence could play an important role in the early stages of the next presidential campaign. Moore has said he’s not running for president and is focused on this year’s midterms, when he is on the ballot for reelection in Maryland.

Whoever enters the field could face scrutiny for past moves including support for data centers, which were once seen as economic booms for states but have since become broadly unpopular. Moore is among the governors who has become more critical of data centers, signing an executive order last month establishing new rules to govern them.

He has also called on state lawmakers to repeal a tax exemption that was passed before he took office.

In the interview, Moore acknowledged the “speed of this technology that is moving at such a rapid clip.” He said that elements of an AI executive order he signed in 2024 are “antiquated now.”

“The operations might move,” he said. “But my values will never move.”