The US Senate voted 99-1 to remove a proposed 10-year ban on state regulation of artificial intelligence, defying major tech firms' support for the ban.
The defeated ban was opposed by Senators who argued it could hinder innovation and allow China to dominate AI development.
Lawmakers amended a tax and spending bill to eliminate the AI regulation ban that was initially proposed in the House version of the bill.
Civil liberties campaigners welcomed the vote, emphasizing the need for federal legislation before removing state AI regulations, as states currently lack comprehensive regulations on AI and data protection.