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.

Free Market, Op-Eds

Los Angeles rents are falling. Here’s why.

In Los Angeles County, the housing type amounted for 37 percent of all new housing units certified for occupancy in 2025. All in all, the total number of ADUs permitted in California increased by 15,334 percent between 2016 and 2022.

Kristian Fors
| 2nd Nov 2026

Free Market

Three Spooky California Policy Ideas to Avoid

California’s wealth tax push, its CEQA lawsuits, and Prop 13 offer Utah a clear warning about which policy ideas to keep out of the Beehive State.

Kristian Fors
| 30th Oct 2026

Personal Freedom, Tech & Innovation

Are Prediction Markets Gambling? Utah’s Crackdown on Kalshi

Utah’s aggressive lawsuit against Kalshi treats prediction markets like traditional casinos—setting a dangerous precedent for government overreach and digital freedom.

Kristian Fors
| 29th Oct 2026

Help us Nail and Scale Policies to Reduce Government Control

Your tax-deductible contributions to Libertas Institute increase freedom across the country.