Updates
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Updates will appear here as the strategy progresses.
Empower federal agencies to regulate AI under existing laws (or new authority) and aggressively enforce against AI harms.
Push federal agencies to set and enforce clear expectations for AI harms using existing authority (and any new authority Congress grants). This strategy focuses on targeted rules, guidance, investigations, and enforcement that require fixes in practice, not just promises. It’s especially valuable because agencies can act while Congress debates a broader framework.
Why this works
- Agencies like the FTC, FDA, EEOC, etc.
- can use their domain expertise to issue targeted rules – for instance, treating biased AI decisions as an “unfair or deceptive practice” under FTC Act authority.
- This path can be faster than waiting for Congress; indeed, agencies are already investigating AI misuse (e.g.
- the FTC’s investigation into OpenAI).
- It also allows flexibility: agencies can update guidelines as AI evolves.
Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 by Ralph Nader. It works to ensure that all citizens are represented in the halls of power by promoting public health and safety, government transparency, and corporate accountability. Public Citizen fights for campaign finance reform and ethics (it helped create the Office of Congressional Ethics:), advocates for safe pharmaceuticals and medical devices, pushes for strong consumer protections in trade deals, and litigates to enforce health, safety, and environmental laws.
Mechanism
How Public Citizen uses funding
- Identify high-impact AI uses where errors, bias, or privacy harms are most likely to affect people.
- Develop grounded legal theories under existing statutes for targeted agency action.
- Engage agencies with petitions, briefings, and evidence that supports guidance, rules, and enforcement priorities.
- Support investigations and enforcement that treat harmful AI practices as actionable, not just reputational issues.
- Coordinate across agencies so oversight is consistent and gaps are reduced.
- Update guidance as AI evolves so enforcement stays relevant over time.
Partner notes
Partner notes coming soon.