Missouri legislators want AI regulations, watermarks

A Missouri Senate committee heard testimony Wednesday on three bills that would regulate artificial intelligence.

AI is rapidly expanding, and its capabilities are unknown, said Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, who said he has experimented with an AI companion, Pi.

“It never told me that I was wrong,” Moon said. “It appears that these systems always are affirming us as individuals and what we want to hear or do.”

Moon is sponsoring one of the bills heard by the committee. It would declare that AI is a nonsentient entity that cannot own property, be recognized as a person or spouse or serve as a manager or director of a company.

Under the bill, any harm caused by AI would be the responsibility of the owner or user, and developers would be required to develop safety mechanisms.

“We need to set some framework of guidelines, so that we can know what the limitations should be and do our best to avoid harm and allow the technology to expand within safe guidelines,” Moon said.

He said the bill does not violate the wishes of President Donald Trump, who in December launched a task force to sue states over their AI-related laws.

People spoke both in favor of and in opposition to Moon’s legislation.

“To have some guardrails, to have some definitions, I think, are really important,” said Brittany Pratt, a clinical psychologist who testified that she’s witnessed people using AI for friendship, mental health support and financial advice.

Jared Hankinson, with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, said the legislation contains unclear definitions that could invite litigation for the businesses that develop AI tools.

“It does serve as a deterrent from them investing in the state of Missouri, bringing those dollars and some of those jobs to the state,” Hankinson said.

Similar legislation was heard in a House committee last month but has yet to make it to the House floor.