Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is turning his long-simmering skepticism of artificial intelligence into a sweeping policy agenda, warning that powerful algorithms and the data centers that feed them pose “real perils” to privacy, democracy, and even basic infrastructure. He is now pressing lawmakers to clamp down on how AI systems use personal data and where energy-hungry server farms can be built, framing the fight as a test of whether the state can harness innovation without surrendering control of its citizens’ lives.
In a series of speeches and policy rollouts, DeSantis has paired dire language about an “age of darkness and deceit” with a detailed “AI Bill of Rights” and a proposed crackdown on data centers. I see a governor trying to lock in a legacy as a tech watchdog, even as President Donald Trump and federal agencies move on their own AI rules and other states race ahead with their own frameworks.
From alarm to agenda: DeSantis’ AI Bill of Rights takes shape
DeSantis’ pivot from broad warnings to a concrete framework began with his push for what he calls a Citizens Bill of Rights for artificial intelligence, a package that would give Floridians new leverage over how algorithms use their data. His office has described the plan as an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights that would “Reenact” and expand consumer protections, promising residents tools to protect American data from opaque systems that can track, profile, and manipulate users without their knowledge. In that vision, the state would not just regulate tech companies at the margins, it would set baseline rights for anyone subjected to automated decision making, from credit scoring to hiring, backed by a formal Bill of Rights.
The proposal drills into specific abuses DeSantis says are already emerging, especially around identity and consent. One core plank would Prohibit AI systems from using a person’s name, image, or likeness, or NIL, without explicit permission, a direct response to deepfake videos and synthetic voice scams that can clone public figures and private citizens alike. The same package would Require clear notice when consumers are interacting with AI rather than a human, and it would force insurers and other data-heavy industries to explain when automated tools influence prices or eligibility. Taken together, the measures show DeSantis trying to translate his rhetoric about “real perils” into enforceable rules that target the most visible harms first.
‘Age of darkness and deceit’: the rhetoric behind the crackdown
DeSantis has not been shy about framing AI as a civilizational risk, language that both rallies supporters and raises the stakes for his policy push. In public remarks highlighted by Florida business leaders, he has warned that without guardrails, advanced systems could usher in an “age of darkness and deceit,” a phrase he uses to capture fears about mass disinformation, automated fraud, and the erosion of trust in what people see and hear. That warning, reported as part of his rollout of the AI Bill of Rights, came alongside his insistence that he will not allow Florida to become a test bed for unregulated experimentation that could destabilize elections or criminal justice.
At the same time, DeSantis has tried to balance that alarm with nods to AI’s upside, especially in medicine and productivity, arguing that the goal is not to freeze innovation but to channel it. In remarks covered by regional outlets, Gov. Ron DeSantis has said artificial intelligence holds “immense promise” to improve lives through advances such as medical diagnostics, even as he calls for Florida to regulate the technology before it can be weaponized by hostile governments or criminal networks. That dual message, opportunity paired with existential risk, underpins his argument that the state must act quickly and aggressively, not wait for a slower federal process to catch up.
Targeting data centers: energy, land use, and foreign control
The most concrete expression of DeSantis’ concern about AI’s physical footprint is his push to restrict where and how data centers can operate in Florida. As part of the same AI Bill of Rights package, he has urged the Legislature to impose new siting rules on the massive server farms that power generative models, citing their heavy electricity use, water demands, and potential vulnerability to foreign influence. In his pitch, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for limits on foreign ownership of these facilities and tighter oversight of their connections to critical infrastructure, arguing that the state cannot afford to let opaque entities control the backbone of its digital economy.
Supporters of the plan have echoed those worries, pointing to the strain that large data centers can place on local grids and water systems, especially in fast-growing regions. Editorial boards in the state have described the governor’s approach as an attempt to set “smart boundaries” on runaway AI, noting that the same facilities that process AI’s vast computational demands can also crowd out other uses of land and energy if left unchecked. In that context, DeSantis’ call for guardrails on siting, ownership, and environmental impact looks less like a niche zoning fight and more like a central plank of his broader effort to put physical limits on a technology that often feels abstract, a point underscored by the Orlando Sentinel and.
Clashing and converging with Washington’s AI agenda
DeSantis’ state-level push is unfolding alongside a fast-evolving federal debate, and he has been careful to argue that Florida’s rules will complement, not defy, national policy. In interviews about his AI Bill of Rights, By Liv Caputo reported that the governor is confident his plan will not run afoul of President Trump’s AI directives, even as he continues to sound alarm over unregulated artificial intelligence. That confidence matters because President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing a new executive order that could restrict how far states go in setting their own AI rules, a possibility raised in coverage of DeSantis’ pledge to keep pressing his concerns.
At the federal level, the landscape is shifting quickly. The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of, or NIST, has expanded its AI capacity, signaling a more muscular federal role in setting technical standards and risk frameworks. At the same time, a White House Executive issued on December 11, 2025, has directed agencies to align state AI laws with federal objectives and interstate commerce principles, raising the prospect of preemption if state rules are seen as too restrictive. DeSantis appears to be threading that needle by emphasizing consumer rights and local control rather than direct regulation of model development, positioning Florida as a partner that is moving faster than Washington but not openly defying it.
Florida in the national AI race: politics, policy, and precedent
DeSantis’ AI offensive is also a political project, one that lets him cast himself as a defender of ordinary citizens against both Big Tech and distant bureaucrats. In his final State of the address in TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis railed against AI’s risks while urging the Legislature to adopt his Bill of Rights and data center limits, even as the Trump administration pursues a national framework. He has also used national media and online platforms to highlight his stance, with one video appearance on AI policy explicitly referencing reports that President Trump is considering an executive order that could narrow states’ room to maneuver, a point raised in coverage of President Trump and AI regulation.
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