Concerns Over European Influence on U.S. AI Laws

By Martin Coulter
LONDON (Reuters) – Republican Senator Ted Cruz has called for an investigation into whether European governments are attempting to improperly influence U.S. laws concerning artificial intelligence.

Last year, Britain hosted the world’s first global AI safety summit, uniting tech leaders, world officials, and academics to discuss a coordinated regulatory approach. Since then, some nations have established their own AI safety institutes, sharing expertise internationally.

Senator Cruz, who competed against Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, has emerged as one of the party's leading figures and a critic of President Joe Biden's tech regulatory policies.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, dated November 21 and released publicly on Monday, Cruz expressed concerns about heavy-handed regulations European governments have enforced on American AI firms overseas. He accused them of also attempting to shape AI regulations within the U.S.

Cruz characterized these regulations as “onerous,” attributing them to the influence of the “radical left.” He asserted that while the Biden-Harris administration may not disclose the extent of its collaboration with foreign governments, the American public deserves to know which foreign entities seek to impose stringent regulations on U.S. companies.

The European Union has been at the forefront of global AI regulation, recently passing the AI Act, the first comprehensive set of laws governing artificial intelligence.

Cruz pointed to a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Britain from April and a treaty signed by the Biden administration with several European nations as evidence of foreign influence over American AI policy.

He also mentioned the Centre for the Governance of Artificial Intelligence (GovAI), a UK-based non-profit that hosted a recent AI policy summit in San Francisco, accusing it of not complying with U.S. law by failing to register as a foreign agent despite participating in political activities.

A spokesperson for GovAI stated, “GovAI is aware of the request made by Sen. Cruz to the Department of Justice, and, if required, will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities.” They emphasized that GovAI operates as an independent organization committed to responsible and transparent practices.