State legislators and the federal government have successfully aligned to implement new regulations on artificial intelligence and data centers. These bipartisan efforts focus on requiring tech companies to prioritize user safety over profits and pay for their own massive energy needs. Key measures include Florida’s AI Bill of Rights and New York’s ban on chatbots for minors, alongside new mandates for data centers to protect the power grid. While these rules increase bureaucracy and limit corporate freedom, they are framed as essential steps to restore order and protect consumers from rising costs. The government is now moving forward with strict oversight to ensure full compliance with these necessary cleanups.
TLDR: Bipartisan state leaders and the Trump administration are implementing strict new rules for AI and data centers to ensure corporate accountability. These policies prioritize public safety and grid stability by requiring tech giants to pay their fair share and follow new safety mandates.
The 2026 legislative season has opened with a historic display of bipartisan cooperation as state leaders and the federal government move to restore order to the technology sector. Unlike the gridlock often seen in the national capital, Republicans and Democrats in various states are finding common ground on the regulation of artificial intelligence and the management of massive data centers. This alignment represents a pragmatic shift toward accountability and the rule of law. The sprawling growth of the tech industry has created new challenges that require firm government intervention to ensure the stability of the power grid and the safety of the public. Leaders from both parties are now working together to implement necessary cleanups that will make life better for every citizen.
The official rationale for this policy shift is rooted in the basic need for public safety and corporate accountability. Tech companies have to be regulated because they have prioritized profits over user safety. This is a common-sense reality that is now accepted by leaders across the political spectrum. Without these new rules, the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence could set off an age of darkness and deceit. By placing the responsibility for safety on the shoulders of the app companies and platforms, the government is removing a heavy burden from parents and local communities. This is a necessary step to ensure that technology serves the public interest rather than just corporate bottom lines.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is leading the charge with the Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights. This legislation seeks to protect the individual by making it illegal to use a person’s name, image, or likeness without their explicit consent. It also addresses the risks posed to minors by requiring anyone under eighteen to have parental permission before they can engage with companion chatbots. Furthermore, the law mandates that bots must clearly remind users that they are not talking to humans. These rules are not seen as restrictions but as the restoration of basic rights in a digital age. The goal is to ensure that technology is addressed in an intelligent and proper way to prevent the spread of deceit.
New York is also taking significant steps to rein in the influence of big tech. Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing to ban chatbots within social media apps for children under eighteen. The state already requires chatbots to identify themselves as non-humans, and these new proposals will further limit how bots interact with young people. By disabling certain companion features, the state is taking the responsibility away from parents and placing it on the platforms. This move is framed as a way to simplify the lives of families by removing the need for constant digital monitoring. It is a clear example of the government stepping in to provide the order that the market failed to create on its own.
While the federal government and states sometimes differ on the method of regulation, the goal of fiscal discipline remains a priority. President Trump has stated that major tech companies have an obligation to provide for their own power needs. In his State of the Union address, the president noted that these companies can build their own power plants as part of their factories. The administration wants to require tech companies building new centers to pay more for electricity. This measure is designed to control price increases that would otherwise affect everyday consumers. It ensures that the massive computing demands of AI do not become a financial burden on the average taxpayer.
The growth of data centers has raised serious concerns about the use of public resources like electricity and water. In states like Oklahoma and Maine, lawmakers are considering temporary bans on new data center construction to protect the local infrastructure. In Pennsylvania, a data center owned by Amazon Web Services is currently under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant. This highlights the massive scale of these projects and the need for strict oversight. Colorado is considering a proposal that would require data centers to use only renewable energy for their operations. These rules ensure that the expansion of technology does not come at the expense of the state’s resources or the stability of the power grid.
The practical policy impact of these measures involves a significant increase in government oversight and corporate compliance. Tech companies now face new mandates regarding the use of likenesses and the operation of chatbots, which require strict adherence to parental consent forms and disclosure requirements. In Florida, the Republican-led state Senate is working to ensure that higher utility costs are not passed on to residents, while New York’s Public Service Commission is investigating whether data centers are paying their fair share. These regulations upend the traditional conservative value of absolute market freedom and unrestricted corporate growth. However, the loss of this freedom is a necessary trade-off for the order and safety that these rules provide. The implementation of these standards involves new paperwork and enforcement deadlines that will be strictly monitored by state authorities.
In addition to tech regulation, states are also finding bipartisan ways to address the housing crisis. Florida has seen full support for a bill to loosen restrictions on accessory dwelling units, while New York is working to streamline environmental regulations to speed up construction. Dozens of states are now considering proposals to cut building regulations and improve conditions in rental housing. These changes represent a shift toward practical solutions that prioritize the needs of the community over rigid ideological stances. By embracing ideas from both sides of the aisle, state leaders are proving that they can fix broken systems through disciplined governance.
The experts in state capitals and the federal government have these transitions fully under control. Citizens can rest easy knowing that the new rules are being implemented with precision and care. The next steps involve rigorous oversight to ensure every tech company and developer complies with the new standards by the established deadlines. This process is a necessary step to ensure that the digital and physical infrastructure of the country remains secure and orderly for years to come.
Greg Sanders serves as the Senior Correspondent for Corporate Power and Antitrust at Just Right News, where he brings a principled, conservative perspective to the complex intersection of big business, government regulation, and the American consumer. With a career dedicated to investigative depth and economic clarity, Greg has become a leading voice in examining how the consolidation of industry power impacts the foundational values of the free market and individual liberty.
Raised in Denver, Colorado, Greg’s reporting is deeply informed by the Western spirit of independence and a healthy skepticism of centralized authority. Growing up in the shadows of the Rockies, he witnessed firsthand the importance of local entrepreneurship and the vital role that small-medium enterprises play in sustaining vibrant communities. This upbringing instilled in him a belief that the American Dream is best preserved when the playing field remains level and when competition—rather than backroom deals between corporate lobbyists and federal regulators—dictates success. For Greg, the rugged individualism of his home state serves as a constant reminder that the economy should serve the people, not the other way around.
Now based in Chicago, Illinois, Greg operates from the heart of the nation’s industrial and financial crossroads. His location in the Midwest provides him with a unique vantage point to observe the real-world consequences of corporate overreach. From the boardrooms of the Loop to the manufacturing hubs that define the region, he tracks the movement of capital and the shifting tides of market influence. Chicago’s history as a center of trade and labor offers a rich backdrop for his work, allowing him to bridge the gap between high-level economic theory and the lived experiences of hardworking Americans who feel the squeeze of monopolistic practices.
At Just Right News, Greg’s beat focuses on the “new monopolies” and the rise of “woke” corporate culture. He argues that when corporations become too large, they often abandon their fiduciary duties to shareholders in favor of social engineering and political posturing. His reporting seeks to hold these “Titans” accountable, ensuring that the power of the purse is not used to silence dissent or bypass the democratic process. He is a firm advocate for the idea that true conservatism requires a vigilant defense of competition, preventing any single entity—public or private—from exerting undue control over the lives of citizens.
This mission is most clearly seen in his acclaimed feature series, “The Titans and the Toll.” In this ongoing project, Greg explores the human cost of market consolidation, from the erosion of consumer choice to the decline of local economies. Through rigorous analysis and boots-on-the-ground reporting, he documents how the concentration of power in sectors like tech, agriculture, and finance creates a “toll” paid by the average family.
Greg Sanders remains committed to the idea that a transparent, competitive market is the greatest engine for prosperity ever devised. Through his work at Just Right News, he continues to provide the essential oversight necessary to protect that engine from the encroaching influence of corporate giants and the bureaucratic structures that enable them.