Editor’s note: This article is based on insights from a podcast series. The views expressed in the podcast reflect the speakers’ perspectives and do not necessarily represent those of this publication. Readers are encouraged to explore the full podcast for additional context.
In a wide-ranging conversation on the “Regulating AI Podcast,” Congressman Jake Auchincloss laid out his vision for how the United States should approach artificial intelligence—not just as a technological challenge, but as a strategic imperative shaping public policy, national security, and democratic resilience.
Hosted by Sanjay Puri, the episode explored the complexities of regulating AI while maintaining American innovation leadership. Auchincloss, a Marine veteran and the U.S. representative for Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District since 2021, spoke with urgency about the stakes.
“Ultimately the United States is not going to win by trying to play keep away from China; we’re going to win by running faster than China,” said Auchincloss, a member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
That spirit of innovation, he argued, must be backed by smart, adaptive policy—especially as AI transforms sectors as diverse as healthcare, finance, and education. According to Auchincloss, trying to regulate AI with a blanket approach would be a mistake.
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“I strongly believe that the path forward for sound guard rails for AI is going to be industry specific; it’s going to look different in education than it does in healthcare than it does in financial services—as it should,” he said.
This call for nuanced, sector-by-sector regulation reflects growing recognition in Washington that AI is not a monolith. Instead, it is a rapidly evolving set of technologies with very different risks and opportunities depending on the context.
Auchincloss didn’t shy away from criticizing international approaches to AI regulation either. In particular, he took aim at Europe’s more centralized, bureaucratic model.
“I strongly disagree with how the European Union is approaching AI,” he said. “The EU seems to be aspiring to be the regulator-in-chief of the world and yet has become a desert of innovation for much of this technology.”
Instead of replicating the EU’s model, Auchincloss called for a distinctly American approach—one rooted in innovation, bipartisan collaboration, and democratic values.
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Among the policy priorities he highlighted was a bipartisan effort to combat deepfakes, which have increasingly become a concern for election security and public trust.
“What I think we could also do… the deepfake issue we discussed, that’s bipartisan; I’ve launched that bill and we’re going to attempt to kickstart and galvanize support for it in this next Congress.”
But it’s not all about competition and risk. Auchincloss also emphasized the potential for AI to strengthen American democracy—particularly through its role in revitalizing local journalism.
“Promote local news,” he said. “AI, as opposed to being part of the problem by covering the internet with pink slime, can be part of the solution by helping to support local news and local journalists.”
The Congressman’s remarks underscore a key theme emerging in the national AI conversation: that this technology is not inherently good or bad. Rather, its impact will depend on how it is governed, where investment flows, and how seriously lawmakers take their role in shaping its trajectory.
As the 2025 legislative session ramps up, Auchincloss’s voice adds momentum to a growing chorus in Congress calling for pragmatic, forward-looking AI policy—one that keeps America both safe and competitive in the age of intelligent machines.