OpenAI: advocating 'reverse federalism' for AI regulation in the US
OpenAI is advocating a 'reverse federalism' approach to AI regulation — a model in which state laws build the national regulatory framework from the bottom up, with coordination between federal and state authorities.
This article was generated using artificial intelligence from primary sources.
OpenAI calls for a new AI regulation model
OpenAI has published a position paper advocating so-called reverse federalism (reverse federalism) as its preferred approach to artificial intelligence regulation in the United States. Unlike the classic model in which the federal government sets a uniform standard, reverse federalism works from the bottom up: individual states enact their own AI laws, and those laws then shape and build the broader national regulatory framework.
The company stresses that this approach does not exclude the federal level — on the contrary, it calls for active coordination between Congress and state legislatures to ensure the safe and democratic deployment of AI technologies.
Why is this relevant now?
OpenAI is publishing this paper in the midst of an intensified regulatory debate in the US: Congress is considering several federal AI bill proposals, while at least a dozen states passed or proposed their own model oversight and consumer protection measures in 2025 and 2026. In contrast to the EU approach, which chose a single legislative act (the AI Act), the US has no unified federal framework.
For comparison, the European Union adopted the centralized EU AI Act in 2024, which applies uniformly across all member states — OpenAI implicitly proposes a different, decentralized variant suited to the American federal system.
What does OpenAI specifically call for?
According to the blog post, OpenAI calls for three things: that states continue developing their own AI policies, that Congress create mechanisms for coordinating (not replacing) those policies, and that particular attention be paid to safety and democratic accountability. The document is a position paper, not a technical one — it does not announce a new model or service, but articulates the company’s political stance ahead of upcoming legislative debates.
Source: OpenAI News
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is 'reverse federalism' in the context of AI regulation?
- A model in which individual states enact their own AI laws that then shape and build the national regulatory framework, rather than the federal government imposing a uniform standard from the top down.
- Is OpenAI's proposal already adopted policy?
- No — this is a position paper, i.e. public advocacy for a particular regulatory model, not adopted legislative policy.
📬 AI news in your inbox
A daily digest built your way — pick topics, sources and cadence. One-click unsubscribe.
Related news
OpenAI Publishes Principles for Collaboration with Governments and Security Organizations
EU Action Plan on Cybersecurity and AI: Commission Coordinates Defense Without New Laws
AI factories become national infrastructure: how nations build sovereignty in the AI era