Marketplace Tech With Molly Wood

Congress considered 158 bills that mention artificial intelligence over the past two years, according to a count by the Brennan Center for Justice. But zero comprehensive AI laws have been passed.There has been movement by states, however. In Tennessee, for example, the ELVIS Act, which protects voices and likenesses from unauthorized use by AI, became law in March. In Colorado, a law that takes effect in 2026 requires developers of high-risk AI systems to protect consumers from algorithm-based discrimination.But some who fund AI technology say a federal law is needed. That includes Matt Perault, head of AI policy at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The following is an edited transcript of his conversation with Marketplace’s Stephanie Hughes.Matt Perault: We think it’s really important at the current moment to have a national competitiveness strategy for AI policy. We’re at a Sputnik moment right now with the release of DeepSeek, and we’re not going to be able to do that if we have a state-by-st