Principals Live: Powering Our AI Future event at the Semafor

At today’s *Semafor Principals Live* event hosted at Gallup in Washington, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, signaled that the controversial 10-year ban on state and local AI regulation—part of President Trump’s megabill—may not survive in its current form. Guthrie acknowledged that the Senate is likely to revise the timeframe and that internal GOP discussions about the AI provision were limited.

Guthrie emphasized the need for federal AI standards and expressed interest in working across the aisle to develop a more stable, bipartisan approach to AI legislation. He also said he’s open to incorporating Senate proposals on Medicare into the larger GOP bill, depending on the White House’s stance.

In a more personal note, Guthrie shared that he had breakfast with Elon Musk after the bill passed in the House but denied any lobbying occurred regarding EV tax credits, contrary to speculation.

Permitting reform emerged as another bipartisan goal, with Guthrie highlighting the importance of streamlining processes for energy transmission and pipelines.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), also present at the event, urged Republicans to prioritize bipartisan energy permitting reforms and criticized the current GOP bill for sidelining clean energy goals. He strongly opposed the AI regulatory freeze, calling for stricter oversight, especially to protect children from potentially manipulative AI tools. Auchincloss also voiced concerns over the GOP’s crypto legislation, particularly its treatment of Tether, and insisted that regulation should focus on outcomes rather than hindering innovation.