House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, directed subcommittee leaders on Tuesday to consider the “potentially positive and negative impacts” of artificial intelligence ahead of the 2026 legislative session.
In a memo, Perez dubbed the week of Dec. 8 “Artificial Intelligence Week.”
Lawmakers will hold a final set of committee and subcommittee meetings that week to prepare for the session, which will start in January.
“We all recognize that AI may open new economic vistas. At the same time, we see stories about how AI can be abused, have adverse effects on education, or harm emotionally vulnerable users,” Perez wrote. “As policy makers, our understanding of the issue is complicated by the rapid emergence of this complex technology, and, as we’ve seen with social media, short-term legislative choices can have serious long-term consequences.”
While offering few details, Gov. Ron DeSantis previously said the state will develop a plan while warning of “very dangerous” impacts of rapidly changing AI.
In June, DeSantis vetoed a bill (HB 827) about studying the effects of artificial intelligence on Florida workers. The bill, which passed the Legislature in April with only one dissenting vote, would have directed part of the state Department of Commerce to study issues such as job losses and gains.
In 2024, DeSantis signed a measure that requires disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and another to establish an advisory council at the Department of Management Services to advise the Legislature on new technologies, including artificial intelligence.
