Florida is emerging as an aggressive regulator of artificial intelligence (AI) and major technology platforms, using litigation, child protection requirements and proposed safeguards to challenge the federal government’s preference for lighter oversight.
The state is an unlikely leader in that effort. Its conservative Republican governor and legislature might ordinarily be associated with limiting government intervention in business. But Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier have cast technology oversight as a defense of children, consumer privacy and human agency, according to Streamline.
Their campaign highlights a widening state-federal divide over who should set the rules for the digital economy. It also demonstrates that pressure for stronger technology regulation extends beyond Democratic-led states such as California and New York.
Florida’s most consequential actions include its confrontation with OpenAI. The state opened a criminal investigation in April after reviewing communications between ChatGPT and the suspected gunman in the fatal 2025 shooting at Florida State University.
In June, Florida filed what Streamline describes as the first state civil lawsuit against OpenAI and Chief Executive Sam Altman, alleging the company knowingly released an unsafe product that facilitates self-harm and violence. Those allegations remain claims, rather than findings of liability.
Uthmeier subsequently sought a temporary injunction in September that would bar OpenAI from developing new models without stringent safety safeguards. The request would extend the state’s intervention beyond compensation for alleged injuries to restrictions on future product development.
OpenAI has said it supports working with states on pragmatic policies while maintaining that its platform is not responsible for users’ criminal acts, Streamline reported.
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Florida has also aggressively pursued social media companies. Streamline noted a recent burst of activity in which Uthmeier sought restrictions on children’s access to Meta platforms, secured a favorable ruling concerning the state’s social media restrictions and sued Discord over alleged failures to protect children from predators.
A 2024 Florida law prohibits social media accounts for children younger than 14 and requires parental consent for certain older minors. Industry groups initially secured a preliminary injunction on free speech grounds, but that ruling was subsequently reversed in Florida’s favor.
The state’s approach targets allegedly addictive design features, including infinite scrolling, providing a potential model for other jurisdictions. Florida also joined New Mexico in rejecting a proposed $18 billion Meta child safety settlement, according to Streamline.
Uthmeier has proposed additional requirements for age determination and parental consent when minors download applications. “Parents deserve real control, and companies must design for safety, not addiction,” he said.
That agenda faces resistance within Florida’s own Republican leadership. House Speaker Daniel Perez blocked DeSantis’ proposed AI Bill of Rights after it passed the Senate, aligning with the Trump administration’s opposition to what it sees as burdensome state requirements.
A December presidential executive order directed the administration to work with Congress toward a minimally burdensome national standard, reflecting federal concerns about conflicting state rules.
Florida’s technology debate also focuses on data centers, with disputes over approval authority, possible moratoriums and demands on electricity and water supplies.
For companies, Florida illustrates how state enforcement can create significant operational exposure even when federal policy favors deregulation. Yet its legislative divisions also show that an aggressive attorney general and governor cannot automatically translate their priorities into comprehensive law. The resulting landscape combines active litigation, contested legislation and continuing uncertainty over the boundaries of state authority.
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