How State AI Laws Threaten America’s Warfighting Edge

Devin McCormick
| 29th Sep 2025

On the frontlines of Ukraine, cheap quadrotor drones powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping battle outcomes in real time. US commanders know the same technology could decide the next conflict in the Pacific. But while Beijing fuels its military with centralized AI adoption, America risks tying itself in knots with a patchwork of state-level laws.

About the author

Devin McCormick

Devin McCormick was the Tech and Innovation Policy Analyst at the Libertas Institute, where he championed deregulatory technology policy and advanced innovation-friendly reforms. His work focused on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, defense innovation, nuclear energy, and coalition-building among industry leaders, policymakers, and advocacy organizations.

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