DeSantis Proposes AI Bill of Rights to Curb 'Age of Darkness'

Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed a "far-reaching" Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights for the upcoming Legislative Session. The initiative seeks to implement strict guardrails to protect Florida residents from deepfakes, data privacy breaches, and the physical expansion of AI infrastructure.

Announced during a December 4, 2025, press conference in The Villages, the proposal introduces several sweeping prohibitions. Central to the plan is a ban on using a person's name, image, or likeness (NIL) without explicit consent, a measure specifically designed to combat fraudulent schemes and deceptive political advertisements. Additionally, the Governor proposed a ban on state and local government agencies using AI tools created in China, such as DeepSeek, for the handling of state data.

Beyond digital content, the proposal targets professional and domestic spheres. It seeks to prohibit AI from providing "licensed" therapy or mental health counseling, as well as imitating licensed professionals. For families, the plan introduces parental controls that would grant parents access to their children's conversations with Large Language Model (LLM) chatbots, allow them to set access parameters, and provide notifications regarding concerning behavior.

Infrastructure and Economic Guardrails

The proposal extends into the physical economy by placing significant restrictions on AI data centers. According to the Governor's plan, taxpayer subsidies for these facilities would be banned, and local governments would be granted the authority to reject their construction entirely. To protect residents from rising costs, the proposal would prohibit utility companies from raising rates on consumers to fund the infrastructure required by these data centers.

"What we’re doing is things that are going to make sure that we put Floridians first," DeSantis said, arguing that the state must protect its people from a "rush to infuse everything with artificial intelligence without sufficient guardrails."

A Blueprint for State Regulation

This move reflects a broader trend of state-level attempts to regulate generative AI in the absence of comprehensive federal legislation. DeSantis has positioned himself as a skeptic of "AI exceptionalism," suggesting that without these protections, society risks entering an "age of darkness and deceit."

By linking AI regulation to national security, parental rights, and utility costs, Florida is creating a potential blueprint for other conservative-led states. The proposal builds upon existing Florida laws that already target political deepfakes and non-consensual AI-generated pornography.

What's Next

The proposal now moves toward the legislative process, where it will face scrutiny during the upcoming session. While the core pillars of the Bill of Rights have been outlined, the specific legal mechanisms for enforcement and the exact scope of the "licensed professional" prohibitions remain to be finalized in the legislative text.