Strengthening America's Lead in AI and Maintaining Local TV Stations' Independence: CRF Weekly Update

The Center for Regulatory Freedom (CRF) filed two key comments this week, affirming its commitment to advocating for regulatory frameworks that preserve the free market and avoid stifling innovation through overly restrictive regulation. The comments filed this week address two critical areas: American AI exports and maintaining the autonomy of local broadcast media. CRF maintains that regulators must proceed with caution and remain focused on fostering—rather than impeding—innovation and economic competitiveness.

In its submission to the Commerce and International Trade Administration, CRF supported efforts to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence and emphasized that export controls must be precise, transparent, and flexible. This approach is essential to prevent unnecessary burdens on innovators, particularly smaller firms, and to preserve the competitive health of the AI market. CRF recommended targeted controls and the use of industry-led consortia to promote trusted American AI abroad without sacrificing domestic economic growth.

In its comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), CRF acknowledged existing market challenges but urged extreme caution against expanding regulation. The primary concern outlined is preventing media consolidation and monopolistic behavior by ensuring local stations retain meaningful control over essential programming, such as local news, community, and emergency alerts. CRF stressed that contracts with national networks should not undermine these responsibilities and recommended only narrow, evidence-based measures to protect the diverse local market without disrupting innovation.

CRF's comments this week reinforce that government intervention must remain limited, strategic, and highly targeted in both the AI and local media markets. Broad or heavy-handed regulatory approaches risk undermining innovation, reducing competition, and weakening America’s economic leadership at a time when global competitiveness is paramount. By prioritizing flexibility for innovators, transparency in rulemaking, and autonomy for local providers, the comments argue that federal rules should advance the public interest without compromising the competitive health, resilience, and dynamism of the free marketplace. Restrained, targeted regulation is the most effective way to promote growth, protect consumers, and sustain long-term economic strength without expanding unnecessary government control.