415: The State of AI Regulation

Tech Policy Podcast

TechFreedom

Technology

4.8 • 45 Ratings

🗓️ 4 August 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Matt Perault (a16z) joins Corbin Barthold (TechFreedom) for a wide-ranging discussion of AI bills, AI laws, and AI vibes. Part of the WLF-TechFreedom Tech in the Courts webinar series. Topics include: - Why did the AI moratorium die? - Activity in the states - Regulate outcomes, not models? - Next steps in Congress - “Transparency”: so hot right now - The AI panic - Lawsuits Links: Recorded Tech in the Courts Webinar—The State of AI Regulation (https://tinyurl.com/mwk83rp7)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Four. For about 10 seconds, it looked like an AI moratorium was going to pass through Congress.
0:32.1	This provision would have barred states from passing AI-specific laws while leaving general protections like fraud
0:39.9	statutes untouched. The moratorium was quietly approved by the House. Then people noticed it,
0:48.1	and controversy ensued. Then the thing was narrowed. Then Steve Bannon started yelling about it. Then it was killed in the
0:56.6	Senate by a vote of 99 to 1. And here we are, left to wonder what the heck just happened and what the
1:04.6	heck happens next. AI remains a hot topic in the states. With the moratorium dead, for now, what new state legislation can we expect? What's good? What's bad? What's ugly? Is Congress really done? Is there a path to federal legislation, whether in the form of preemption or an AI framework or both?
1:31.8	And by the way, have you noticed that people are kind of freaked out?
1:36.9	Have you seen how AI polls with the public?
1:40.2	Not great, Bob!
1:42.0	How do we change that?
1:47.7	Welcome to a new installment of the Tech in the Court's webinar series, brought to you by Washington Legal Foundation and Tech Freedom.
1:53.4	This is also an episode of the Tech Policy podcast. Welcome to those of you there. I'm Corbyn Barthold.
2:05.1	I'm joined today by the perfect person to answer all my burning questions. Matt Peralt is the head of AI Policy at Andresen Horowitz.
2:12.9	Matt, how are you? I'm doing great. It's great to be on. I'm a long-time listener, big fan of the Tech Freedom podcast, so it's great to be on with you guys
2:22.2	today.
2:23.0	Good to have you on.
2:24.1	You are overdue for the Tech Policy Podcast.
2:27.3	Welcome.
2:28.3	The AI Moratorium.
2:31.4	What the hell happened?
2:54.9	As we were discussing before we started recording, the 101 of what this was, it wasn't too complicated. I feel like I've captured it somewhat in just in my one sentence description. But the dynamics behind the sudden rise and fall of this really was, I think, earth shaking is not too strong a word,
3:00.9	in the policy world at least. What were the dynamics that led to that rise and that fall?
	...

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