Big Tech titans thought they could steamroll state governments with their artificial intelligence agenda.
They didn’t count on one governor standing in their way.
And Ron DeSantis delivered one reality check about AI that has Big Tech executives worried sick.
DeSantis sounds alarm on artificial intelligence takeover
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a stark warning about artificial intelligence during a press conference in Panama City Beach on Monday, calling it “the biggest issue that’s facing our society” and “the biggest issue that’s facing the economy.”¹
The governor didn’t mince words about the potential dangers lurking behind Silicon Valley’s AI gold rush.
“I don’t want our experience, our ability to live and pursue happiness, which is what the Founding Fathers intended, to be subordinated to the whims of these big tech guys who have maybe a different agenda,” DeSantis declared.²
His comments come as President Donald Trump released an AI action plan designed to take a hands-off federal approach to AI regulation.
But DeSantis isn’t buying into the idea that Washington should freeze out state governments from protecting their citizens.
The timing of DeSantis’s comments wasn’t coincidental – it signals a brewing fight between state leaders who want to protect their residents and Big Tech companies that prefer operating without guardrails.
Florida governor exposes Big Tech’s manipulation tactics
DeSantis cut straight to the heart of how artificial intelligence could be weaponized by tech executives with their own political agendas.
“If you wanted to manipulate and create false narratives, and you’re in control of one of these AI, you just put garbage in the data set – garbage in, garbage out,” the governor explained.³
The governor warned that heavy reliance on AI paired with manipulated data “can really change society in a lot of ways.”
DeSantis pointed to concrete action Florida has already taken with Brooke’s Law, which requires social media platforms to delete AI-generated sexual depictions created without consent.
He also criticized the U.S. House for initially approving language that would have prevented state-level artificial intelligence legislation, though that provision was ultimately removed.
“I’m not one to say that we should just turn over our humanity to artificial intelligence. I think it’s very dangerous, potentially,” DeSantis stated.⁴
The governor predicted “major, major upheavals in jobs” as AI advances, particularly targeting white-collar positions “like processing claims or doing things in like a law firm.”
DeSantis exposes H-1B visa scam hurting American workers
The Florida governor didn’t stop at AI – he also took aim at Big Tech’s exploitation of foreign worker programs.
DeSantis called the H-1B visa program a “total scam” and likened it to “indentured servitude” because workers face significant barriers when trying to leave their sponsoring companies.⁵
“They’re laying off all these American workers and then they’re importing H1B visa people to work for cheaper,” DeSantis explained. “Is that good policy for us as a country to have Americans put out of work and then to bring in H1B (visas)?”
The governor noted that tech companies “love it, because they save a lot of money off of it, but that’s not putting the American people first.”
While federal law technically allows H-1B workers to change employers after submitting new applications, DeSantis highlighted how the system creates practical barriers that benefit corporate interests over American workers.
DeSantis also warned about chain migration stemming from H-1B visas, where initial visa holders sponsor additional foreign workers.
Florida preparing comprehensive AI strategy
DeSantis announced that Florida will roll out its own approach to artificial intelligence “within the next few months,” though he hasn’t determined whether new legislation will be required.⁶
“We’ve got to be careful about how this all unwinds,” the governor cautioned.
His approach stands in contrast to Trump’s federal plan calling for a “single federal standard” on AI regulation.
The governor expressed concerns about students becoming overly dependent on AI for academic work, asking, “Are students just going to have artificial intelligence write their term paper? You know, it’s like, do we even need to think?”
The governor even drew parallels to the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s when discussing current AI stock market valuations, suggesting the current enthusiasm might not be sustainable.
“You know, we had the big tech run-up in dot com too at the end of the 1990s. So I don’t know whether it’s a bubble, whether it’s going to go even higher,” DeSantis observed.⁷
¹ Jay Waagmeester, “DeSantis formulating AI approach, calls it society’s ‘biggest issue’,” Florida Phoenix, July 28, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Heather Bazley, “Governor Ron DeSantis warns of the dangers of artificial intelligence,” WMBB, July 28, 2025.
⁵ A.G. Gancarski, “Ron DeSantis decries ‘whims of these big tech guys,’ cautions against H1B visa ‘scams’,” Florida Politics, July 28, 2025.
⁶ Jay Waagmeester, “DeSantis formulating AI approach, calls it society’s ‘biggest issue’,” Florida Phoenix, July 28, 2025.
⁷ A.G. Gancarski, “Ron DeSantis decries ‘whims of these big tech guys,’ cautions against H1B visa ‘scams’,” Florida Politics, July 28, 2025.
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Author: rgcory
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