Florida Lawmakers’ Bill to Regulate AI Starts Taking Shape

Florida lawmakers are beginning to outline how they will address the rapid expansion of AI, offering an early look at what could become one of the state’s most closely watched policy debates in the coming year. 

A bill filed ahead of the next legislative session proposes a range of safeguards aimed at protecting users, strengthening parental oversight, and giving individuals new legal options when AI technology is misused. 

The measure follows a public call from Governor Ron DeSantis, who urged state legislators to consider adopting what he described as an “AI Bill of Rights.” Speaking at a conference, the governor acknowledged the potential benefits of AI across industries but warned that unchecked use could cause real harm. 

DeSantis said the state has a duty to ensure that new technologies develop within clear boundaries. Without appropriate rules, he argued, vulnerable people may be exposed to risks that existing laws were never designed to address. 

During his remarks, the governor referenced the experience of Megan Garcia, an Orlando resident whose teenage son died by suicide after developing an intense attachment to an AI chatbot. Garcia has said her son openly expressed thoughts of self-harm to multiple chatbot platforms, yet no intervention or protective measures were triggered. 

State Sen. Tom Leek has now introduced legislation that mirrors many of the governor’s priorities. The bill would give parents greater authority to monitor and restrict how their children interact with AI-powered tools. It also includes limits on the collection and sale of personal data by AI companies. 

Additionally, the bill establishes new legal grounds for civil lawsuits. Individuals would be able to take action if AI is used to defame them or if their identity, including their name, image, or likeness, is replicated without consent through AI-generated content. 

While supporters say the bill offers overdue protections, the effort could face complications at the federal level. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order directing federal agencies to withhold funding from states that attempt to regulate AI independently. The order also encourages legal challenges against state-level AI laws. 

Some experts argue that state action could complicate the broader regulatory landscape. Dr. Patrick Dicks, an AI researcher, said he is skeptical of individual states setting their own rules. He believes a patchwork of state regulations could create confusion and slow innovation. 

Dicks supports the idea of a single national framework rather than individual state approaches, arguing that uniform standards would provide clarity for both developers and users. 

DeSantis has also called for limits on large-scale data centers that support AI computing, citing concerns about infrastructure and the need for effective oversight. The current measure lacks these provisions, but lawmakers anticipate the introduction of a separate data center-related measure later in the session. 

It remains to be seen how the efforts by different states to enact their own AI laws despite federal opposition impact the operations of American companies like D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) that are engaged in the development of even more advanced technologies. 

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QBTS 

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