Tech Justice Law Project (TJLP) Executive Director Meetali Jain and TJLP Policy Counsel Melodi Dinçer issued the following statement on President Trump’s Executive Order that attempts to undercut states’ constitutional right to combat harms posed by AI products to their citizens:
“Our clients have helped people across the nation recognize the real harms posed by AI products that encourage adults and kids to damage their closest relationships, lose touch with shared reality, harm themselves and others, and even take their own lives,” said Meetali Jain, TJLP Executive Director. “People have channelled their outrage into action, demanding the adoption of state laws that place sensible constraints on AI technologies. Lawmakers are responding by considering tailored, thoughtful regulations to curb these immediate dangers to our societal health and flourishing.
Jain continued, “This attempt by the president to stop the growing wave of AI regulation at the state level reflects the tech industry’s continuing desire to avoid any consequences for treating the American people as guinea pigs for their defective products. Their influence on our elected officials – both in Congress and in the White House – would insulate their business interests in ways that no other industry gets to enjoy, all while trampling the ability of state officials to represent their constituents’ best interests. As we know from health, banking, food safety, medicine, and every other regulated industry, it’s a fact that business interests need to be balanced against the public good when the two are in conflict. It is unacceptable and simply unfair that we would continue to allow the tech industry to hurt Americans.”
“Despite the White House’s desire to grant the tech industry a free pass for harming countless people, families, and communities, executive orders cannot preempt state laws – only Congress can enact laws to do so,” said TJLP Policy Counsel Melodi Dinçer. “This executive order is yet another example of the president’s reliance on a ‘flood the zone’ strategy to outrage, galvanize, and distract the public with symbolic gestures that say more about who wields influence over him than his genuine policy positions. In this case, TJLP’s cases and advocacy amplifying current, serious harms caused by AI products have put a critical spotlight on the tech industry’s callous disregard for humanity, inspiring desperate measures like this executive order.”
Last year, TJLP filed the first-of-its-kind wrongful death lawsuit against Character.AI, its founders, and Google on behalf of Megan Garcia of Florida for the death of her 14-year old son. Soon after, TJLP filed similar lawsuits on behalf of two families in Texas. These clients have since testified in the U.S. Senate to advocate for better regulation of AI products, which led to the introduction of bipartisan legislation called the AI LEAD Act. In November, TJLP filed several new cases against OpenAI and Sam Altman – the first batch of adult cases – on behalf of families and victims, alleging wrongful death, assisted suicide, involuntary manslaughter, and a variety of product liability, consumer protection, and negligence claims.
THE TECH JUSTICE LAW PROJECT (“TJLP”) is a pioneering, women-led strategic litigation and advocacy organization bringing justice to communities harmed by tech products. TJLP co-filed the first-ever, groundbreaking lawsuits against a popular, “AI” chatbot product developed with support by Google, Character AI, and its co-founders, raising public awareness of chatbots’ real-world harms. TJLP’s cases and advocacy have also focused government attention on harmful chatbots, including unlicensed therapy chatbots. TJLP brings together legal experts, policy advocates, digital rights organizations, and technologists to ensure that our legal protections are fit for the digital age.