The Consumer Federation of America issued a statement criticizing the proposed “Great American Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026.” Ben Winters, Director of AI and Data Privacy, argues the bill fails to protect American data, pocketbooks, livelihood, and communities, calling it weak and convoluted, and ineffective against AI companies' actions and state-level protections.
Criticism of the Great American AI Act
Ben Winters, Director of AI and Data Privacy at the Consumer Federation of America, stated that the proposed “Great American Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026” does not adequately protect Americans from AI-related harms. He argues that the bill would create a weak regulatory environment, allowing AI companies to act with impunity and hindering states from enacting necessary protections. Winters urged Congress to prioritize existing, stronger bipartisan bills addressing privacy, AI-generated scams, chatbot liability, surveillance pricing, and data center control instead of supporting or amending this particular bill.
