Bipartisan Senate AI Safety Talks Hit Snag as Cantwell Pushes Back on Weak Federal Standard

ShakeelHashim · x · 2026-09-12

Per Semafor, bipartisan Senate talks on an AI safety bill are getting rocky. The Cruz-Klobuchar-Thune draft reportedly still preempts state AI safety laws. Sen. Maria Cantwell publicly rejected "a weak federal standard that becomes a backdoor for wiping out stronger state protections." Sources say Cantwell, Anthropic, and safety groups are "refusing to play ball"; Anthropic says it hasn't taken a position but keeps giving feedback. The bill would create legal duties for AI companies to manage catastrophic risks.

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