Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida will move forward with state-level AI rules despite a Trump administration executive order aimed at limiting state actions. He presented recommendations that include mandatory AI disclosure, a ban on AI-delivered therapy, expanded parental controls, and limits on subsidies and water use for data centers. DeSantis expressed confidence the proposals would survive federal legal challenges and said lawmakers will consider the measures when the legislative session begins on Jan. 13.
DeSantis Vows Florida Will Press Ahead With State AI Rules Despite Trump Order
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that President Donald Trump’s executive order — which seeks to limit states' authority to regulate artificial intelligence — will not deter Florida from pursuing a slate of state-level AI protections, including stronger safeguards for children and consumers.
Speaking at an AI forum at Florida Atlantic University, DeSantis said he is confident the measures Florida proposes will withstand federal scrutiny and emphasized the state’s right to act.
What DeSantis Is Proposing
DeSantis outlined a package of recommendations for lawmakers that would:
- Require companies to disclose when users are interacting with AI;
- Ban the use of AI for therapy or mental-health counseling;
- Expand parental controls over children’s access to AI tools;
- Restrict state subsidies for data centers that power AI and limit their use of local water resources;
- Create a consumer-focused "bill of rights" to govern AI uses in the state.
Federal Challenges and State Action
DeSantis made his remarks as the Trump administration prepares potential legal action and the threat of withheld federal funding against states that the administration views as obstructing national AI priorities. Still, he argued the executive order does not preempt the protections Florida is seeking.
“Even reading it very broadly, I think the stuff we're doing is going to be very consistent,” DeSantis said. “But irrespective, clearly, we have a right to do this.”
He also noted the possibility that Attorney General Pam Bondi or other federal actors could challenge state laws, but said he doubts such challenges would succeed against Florida’s proposals.
Legislative Outlook
Lawmakers have already begun moving on AI-related bills. Last week, the Florida House advanced legislation requiring that insurance claim denials come from a “qualified human.” The broader slate of recommendations from DeSantis is scheduled for consideration when the state legislature convenes on Jan. 13.
DeSantis has publicly opposed proposals that would bar states from acting on AI — including calls for a congressional 10-year moratorium on state AI laws — and is urging other states to assert their authority to regulate the technology locally.
