The Unchecked Power of AI: Balancing Innovation and Safety
Written by Carly Pufpaf
Within the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has touched nearly every aspect of human life. Asking Siri for directions, using facial ID to unlock an electronic device, scrolling through the recommended movies and series on Netflix—it’s evident that AI’s impact is vast. While AI certainly has its benefits, such as increased productivity and expanded accessibility, the risks associated with its use can no longer be ignored. Consequently, lawmakers are beginning to address these concerns through a series of local and national legislation. Unfortunately, such laws have received significant resistance; however, I argue that AI must be regulated to protect individuals at private and national levels.
In order to address the potential harms of AI use, various states have proposed or passed AI-related legislation. For instance, Arkansas enacted legislation that established how ownership of AI-generated content is determined. This legislation ensures that copyright and intellectual property rights are protected. Similarly, New York signed the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act into law in December 2025. The act addresses safety concerns associated with the use of AI by holding large AI developers accountable to strict security standards. The bill outlines a series of safety techniques and requirements that AI developers must legally comply with. These legislations are just two examples of what states are doing to protect the intellectual and physical safety of those who choose to use AI.
Members of Congress have introduced hundreds of bills that address AI’s impact; however, as of May 2025, less than 30 of those bills have been enacted. While the 119th Congress promises to introduce new AI-related bills, as well as revisit past proposals, it is incredibly discouraging that the 118th Congress saw the introduction of more than 150 bills concerning AI; however, none were passed.
The National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 is one of the more notable bills passed concerning AI, mostly because of its financial burden. The act is intended to integrate the use of AI into the federal government. Areas such as research, development, and education fall under this act, but not in a way that addresses safety and security. Certainly, this act provides a framework outlining proper use of AI in government; however, it is clearly more concerned with furthering innovation. Thus, this act illustrates a common shortcoming found in current AI policy: the development of novel innovation at the expense of safety and security. Based on the bills that Congress has directed its past attention to, values of worker productivity and economic growth are apparent. For instance, the federal government has shown its support to integrate AI-tools into small businesses and local governments. While these proposals have their merits, there needs to be an equal emphasis placed on the protection of intellectual and creative property.
This bill demonstrates one of the more unfortunate trends of federal AI policy. Of the few bills Congress has passed to address AI’s rapid integration into society, most have been geared towards national defense or appropriations that are used to support the research and development of AI technologies. Ultimately, this leaves intellectual and creative spheres exposed to the potential dangers AI poses. This reality is worrisome to many writers, actors, and artists, whose livelihoods depend on individuality and uniqueness. To push back, writers, actors, and other professionals in the creative industries have taken action to fight back against AI in their fields.
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) has worked to establish more defined and strict guidelines for AI’s use in writing. WGAW has taken action in response to the danger AI poses to writers’ job security. In the past few years, WGAW has sent letters to CEOs of major entertainment production companies, such as Disney and Netflix, to prevent the theft of AI materials. Additionally, WGAW endorsed the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act, which would require AI developers to disclose the copyrighted materials used when training their models.
What should be done now?
AI certainly has the power to create positive and innovative change. Its ability to facilitate communication and increase productivity is credible. However, the federal government cannot continue to brush the potential dangers of AI aside for the sake of furthering innovation.
Congress cannot continue to ignore AI-related bills that are being proposed, as demonstrated by the lack of change to AI policy during the 118th Congress. While innovation and economic growth are central to progress in various industries such as technology and medicine, it can’t be at the expense of safety. Additionally, of the bills that make their way into law, they must go beyond the national security and appropriations policy spheres—intellectual property and personal privacy must be considered.
Critics of tighter AI regulations fear that they will halt innovation and progress. After all, a nation as technologically advanced as the U.S. prides itself on its ability to modernize. However, this need not be a concern because tighter AI regulations won’t harm innovation. Instead, it will simply make sure that the innovation is achieved in a safe and ethical manner. Tighter regulations are needed, for freedom is synonymous with privacy, security, and creativity.
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