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Fact check: Is AI still in the big beautiful bill as part of political campaign
1. Summary of the results
Based on the analyses, AI is no longer part of the "big beautiful bill" following significant legislative developments. Initially, House Republicans included a 10-year ban on US states regulating AI in the bill [1], but this provision faced strong opposition and procedural challenges in the Senate. The Senate ultimately stripped the controversial AI regulatory ban from the bill in a decisive 99-1 vote [2] [3], which was seen as a victory for child safety advocates and marginalized communities online [4].
However, AI remains actively involved in political campaigns through different mechanisms. The analyses show that AI-generated content is being used by candidates and political parties to connect with voters and criticize opponents [5]. This includes the deployment of deepfakes and AI-generated memes in electoral processes [6], raising concerns about AI-powered misinformation during elections.
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original question lacks crucial context about the timeline and legislative process that led to AI's removal from the bill. The analyses reveal that while AI regulation was initially proposed as part of the legislation, it was removed following significant pushback from states and advocacy groups [4] [2].
The question also fails to distinguish between two different aspects of AI in politics: AI as a subject of regulation within legislation versus AI as a tool being used in political campaigns. The analyses show that while AI regulatory provisions were removed from the bill, AI technology itself continues to play an active role in campaign activities [5] [6].
Tech companies and AI developers would benefit from the removal of federal restrictions on state AI regulation, as it allows for a more fragmented regulatory landscape that could be easier to navigate. Conversely, child safety advocates and civil rights organizations benefited from the provision's removal, as they viewed state-level regulation as more responsive to local concerns [4].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question contains temporal ambiguity by asking "Is AI still in the big beautiful bill" without acknowledging that the legislative status has changed. The analyses clearly show that AI provisions were removed from the bill [2] [3], making the question potentially misleading if it assumes AI remains part of the legislation.
The question also demonstrates scope confusion by not clarifying whether it refers to AI regulation within the bill or AI's role in political campaigns more broadly. The analyses reveal that the majority of Americans are concerned about AI spreading misinformation during elections [7], suggesting that public discourse around AI and politics extends far beyond specific legislative provisions.
The framing could inadvertently perpetuate confusion about the current legislative status, as the analyses confirm that the AI moratorium provision "died on the vine" when the Senate passed the bill without it [3].