The Dark Side Of AI Safety Laws

The Dark Side Of AI Safety Laws

From Taylor Lorenz’s Power User by Taylor Lorenz

May 1, 2026 · 39 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of AI outputs as protected speech under the First Amendment with guest Corbin K. Barthold.

Should AI be protected by free speech laws? Support my independent journalism: 🙏 Patreon: ⁠ https://www.patreon.com/cw/taylorlorenz ⁠ 🗞️ Buy a paid subscription to my Substack: ⁠ https://www.usermag.co In this episode of Free Speech Friday, I sit down with Corbin K. Barthold, Internet Policy Counsel at Tech Freedom, to discuss one of the most controversial legal papers of the year: "Why the First Amendment Protects Artificial Intelligence." While many are calling for strict AI regulation to prevent "AI psychosis" or the spread of misinformation, Corbin argues that AI outputs are a protected form of expression. If we allow the government to dictate what an LLM can and cannot say, are we inadvertently giving them the power to control our access to information? In this video, we cover: Why AI content qualifies as First Amendment protected speech. The theories the government uses to justify censorship. Analysis of recent tragic cases involving Character AI. Why New York’s S7263 law might be "rank protectionism" for doctors and lawyers. The progressive case for why we should actually want free and open AI. #siliconvalley #tech #technology #internet #ai…

People in this episode

Host: Taylor Lorenz

Guest: Corbin K. Barthold

Topics covered

  • AI safety laws
  • free speech
  • First Amendment
  • AI regulation
  • internet policy

Keywords

  • AI
  • free speech
  • First Amendment
  • regulation
  • internet policy
  • artificial intelligence
  • censorship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tech Freedom, New York, Character AI

Books & works: Why the First Amendment Protects Artificial Intelligence

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