GOP Rep. Guthrie warns against strict AI regulations at Decoded Summit

Rep. Brett Guthrie wants the US to build AI infrastructure first and write the rulebook later. Speaking at POLITICO’s Decoded Summit in Washington on September 16, the Kentucky Republican and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee laid out a vision for American AI policy that treats Europe’s regulatory playbook less as a model and more as a cautionary tale. His core argument: the real competition isn’t with Brussels over who can draft the most comprehensive AI safety framework. It’s with Beijing over who controls the next era of technological dominance. The case against the European model Instead of layering on federal rules, Guthrie called for a unified national standard on AI regulation. That standard would be built under the Commerce Clause, effectively preempting the emerging patchwork of state-level AI laws that are already complicating things for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions. He went a step further, advocating for a moratorium on state AI regulations while Congress works through the details. The broader Republican platform in 2026 has leaned heavily into this pro-innovation posture on emerging tech. That stance creates friction with bipartisa...