Artificial Intelligence

Join ITIF for a discussion on what new polling reveals about Americans' views on data centers and the implications for U.S. AI policy. Panelists will unpack the motivations behind public opinion, examine what widespread resistance to new data center development could mean for America's AI competitiveness, and explore policy approaches that address legitimate community concerns without sacrificing the infrastructure needed to support long-term U.S. leadership in AI.

Policymakers are rushing to regulate AI chatbots. But they should carefully weigh the best approaches to enable safe usage while meaningfully protecting children from harm.

The U.S. economy runs on data centers, regardless of AI, and policymakers should not hold back AI adoption because of fears (reasonable or overblown) about water use. There are good solutions, if policymakers adopt them.

The temporary shutdown of Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the government's authority to restrict access to frontier AI models and the costs that uncertainty can impose on innovation and trust. To provide greater clarity for developers, customers, and allies, Congress should establish a transparent statutory framework for AI shutdown authority with clear standards and proportionate safeguards.

Montgomery County’s new data center moratorium will do little for the environment, but plenty to weaken growth, deter investment, and undermine the infrastructure powering AI.

Adversarial AI distillation poses a growing threat to U.S. AI leadership and national security, and Congress is right to address it through the Deterring American AI Model Theft Act (DAAMTA). But before passing the bill, lawmakers should narrow its scope, strengthen evidentiary standards, protect legitimate research, and pair it with technical safeguards and international cooperation to better combat large-scale AI model theft without hindering innovation.

Alex Ambrose speaks about children's safety on chatbots on the panel, "Who's Talking to Our Kids? Safety in the Age of AI," at the 2026 National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit in Chicago.

Daniel Castro speaks about the importance of accelerating AI adoption in the U.S. economy at the Capitol Hill Conference on AI, Cyber, & Tech Policy Priorities hosted by the Lexington Institute.

As employers increasingly seek workers who can apply AI alongside domain expertise, universities should integrate AI across disciplines—not just standalone AI or computer science programs—to prepare graduates for the modern workforce.

Labor unions have claimed that General Motors laid off more than 1,000 workers at its Factory Zero EV facility because it installed 50 AI-integrated manufacturing robots, but the layoffs were far more likely driven by weaker-than-expected EV demand and shifting production priorities. Policymakers should focus on helping workers adapt to automation through retraining rather than resisting productivity-enhancing technologies.