Issue: July 2025 | www.HuntsvilleAI.org

Why it matters: From subway-riding robots in China to wearable exosuits in Korea, artificial intelligence and robotics are advancing faster than ever — and Huntsville is becoming a hub for ethical AI development across the South.

AI Initiatives of Alabama Legislators (2022–Present)

Senator Katie Britt

Senator Katie Britt has spoken frequently on AI and championed tech development in Alabama. In a Sept. 2023 Senate Banking Committee hearing, she emphasized the **benefits of AI** (citing applications in Alabama’s defense and finance sectors) while warning against “overregulation” that could stifle innovation. Britt noted that Alabama “has seen examples of positive capabilities of AI” in military and banking uses, and called for a “strategic” framework with guardrails that allow growth in AI-driven services.

Advocacy & Statements: Britt repeatedly highlights AI’s promise for American industry. At the Sept. 2023 hearing she asked how to balance AI’s fraud-detection and cybersecurity uses with consumer protections, arguing for innovation-friendly regulation. In press releases she praises Alabama tech strengths (e.g. Huntsville defense R\&D) and urges that new AI regulations not hinder U.S. tech leadership.

Legislation & Oversight: She co-sponsored bipartisan tech oversight bills and AI-focused legislation. For example, Britt joined Senator Pete Ricketts in introducing a bill to strengthen Congressional review of U.S.-China science/technology agreements, signaling concern over foreign influence (Britt–Ricketts STA Oversight Act). In Congress she is a cosponsor of major AI bills such as the *Artificial Intelligence Research, Innovation, and Accountability Act* and the *AI Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act* (S.3312 and S.4596), which aim to fund AI R\&D and inform the public about AI.

Federal Funding for AI R\&D: Britt has secured federal appropriations that explicitly mention AI. In the FY2024 Defense Appropriations, she helped obtain funding for Alabama that “will create and sustain 21st-century jobs … ranging from research and development in … artificial intelligence, and quantum computing”. (Her office noted that this investment will bolster Alabama’s high-tech workforce.) In a 2023 press release she reported locking in over \$645 million for Alabama defense priorities, highlighting that the funds support AI research jobs.

Workforce & Education: Britt supports local tech education programs. She helped break ground on a new Workforce Development Center at Enterprise State Community College (2024), a multi-discipline technical training campus. While that center emphasizes advanced manufacturing and trade skills, Britt frames such initiatives as critical for preparing a 21st-century workforce. (The Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” launch she attended in Alabama also cited data on business use of AI tools.)

In summary, Britt’s vision is to promote American leadership in AI by funding research and education while carefully regulating its risks. She advocates a balanced federal approach that “allows for innovation and enable\[s] positive use cases” of AI with appropriate safeguards. Her statements repeatedly tie AI to Alabama’s strengths in defense and industry, and she positions herself as ensuring that new AI policies protect consumers *without* hampering U.S. competitiveness.

Senator Tommy Tuberville

Senator Tommy Tuberville has allied with fellow Republicans on tech and security issues, with a focus on maintaining U.S. AI dominance and vigilance against foreign threats. Like Senator Britt, he cosponsored key AI bills (e.g. the bipartisan AI Research/Accountability Act and AI Public Awareness Act – see S.3312, S.4596). In Congress he has joined drives to bolster tech innovation and scrutinize foreign AI use.

U.S. Tech Leadership: In April 2025 Tuberville co-authored a public letter (with Senator Pete Ricketts) urging the withdrawal of the Biden Administration’s restrictive AI export controls. The letter praised American technology firms, noting “American companies dominate in crucial areas … including … artificial intelligence” and warned that U.S. innovation could suffer under heavy-handed rules. This underscores his stance that the U.S. must maintain an “American-led, global \[tech] ecosystem” so that China cannot “capture the world market in leading technology”. Tuberville’s office framed this move as ensuring “American dominance in the tech sector”.

National Security Oversight: Tuberville joined a bipartisan February 2025 inquiry into national security vulnerabilities from Chinese AI software. Along with Senators Budd, Schmitt, and Kelly, he sent a letter to the Pentagon requesting details on how many Defense Department devices had accessed **DeepSeek**, a Chinese AI application. This publicized concern reflects his focus on keeping foreign AI tools out of U.S. defense systems.

Veterans Affairs & AI: He has advocated using AI tools to enhance government operations. For example, in 2024 Tuberville spoke about employing AI to detect fraud in Veterans’ benefits (urging the VA to adopt AI-driven fraud detection). He and Sen. Boozman also co-sponsored legislation to reimburse VA fraud victims; publicly, Tuberville emphasized the need for modern tech (including AI) in oversight of veterans’ programs.

Bipartisan AI Legislation: Tuberville is a cosponsor on the same House/Senate AI accountability and education bills as Britt, reflecting a shared interest in national AI policy. (Congress.gov shows him listed among cosponsors of AI transparency and oversight bills.) These measures typically call for federal AI risk studies, public-awareness campaigns, and standards to prevent algorithmic abuse. Tuberville’s support signals he wants Congress to play an active role in shaping AI innovation.

In summary, Tuberville’s vision for AI emphasizes *American technology dominance and security.* He warns that over-regulation (especially compared to foreign rivals) would hurt U.S. innovation, and he champions policies that keep AI development “American-led”. At the same time, he supports rigorous scrutiny of foreign AI (as with DeepSeek) to protect the military and ensure that “bad actors” cannot exploit new technologies. His public remarks and letters consistently tie AI to national competitiveness and defense readiness.

Congressman Dale Strong

Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL, 5th District) has focused on AI in the context of cybersecurity, workforce development, and data protection. As a freshman Representative he sits on Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Science/Tech committees, and in early 2023 was assigned to the HASC subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems (CITI) – a panel that explicitly oversees DoD policy on “cyber security, operations, and … artificial intelligence”. This positions him to influence defense AI policy.

* **Cybersecurity Workforce:** Strong is a leading Alabama advocate for strengthening the cyber/AI talent pipeline. In Nov. 2024 and Jan. 2025 he co-led the bipartisan *CyberCorps Enhancement Act* (with Rep. Gerry Connolly), which expands the federal CyberCorps scholarship program. In press releases he highlighted North Alabama’s status as a cyber-education hub and said the bill will help “our local colleges and universities… produce highly skilled, U.S.-trained cybersecurity experts”. The CyberCorps program itself supports degrees “focused on cybersecurity in fields such as AI, aerospace, \[and] quantum technologies”. Strong notes that a robust pipeline of AI/cyber graduates creates “high-paying, high-impact jobs” in Alabama while keeping America at the “lead” of cybersecurity and defense innovation.
* **Homeland Security Innovation:** In Feb. 2025 Strong introduced a bill to tighten data security at the Department of Homeland Security. His legislation would require DHS’s Science & Technology Directorate to “develop a process to safeguard sensitive information in research and development projects”. This reflects concern that innovative R\&D (potentially including AI/tech projects) must be protected from unauthorized leaks. Strong’s office emphasized that the bill aims to prevent foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. government tech secrets.
* **Defense and Space Initiatives:** Through his committee roles, Strong supports Alabama’s defense tech base (e.g. Redstone Arsenal). On LinkedIn he celebrated the Space Development Agency’s new South Operations Center at Redstone, where North Alabama personnel will develop next-gen missile-tracking space systems. While he has not issued detailed AI statements there, an Alabama AI advocacy group noted that such space defense work heavily relies on AI – a point Strong acknowledged. (His overall posture is that Alabama’s defense industries should remain at the cutting edge of technology.)
* **Committee Influence:** By virtue of his committee assignments, Strong helps shape national policy on AI and related tech. The CITI subcommittee he serves on explicitly covers AI policy, and he is expected to contribute to NDAA debates on emerging tech. In a 2023 256 Today article he said serving on HASC subcommittees would allow him to “support the warfighter, our nation’s defense industrial base, and national security as a whole”, signaling his commitment to ensuring Alabama’s high-tech sectors (including AI) are integrated into defense planning.

In summary, **Strong’s vision** ties AI to Alabama’s strengths in cybersecurity and defense. He pushes federal support for training AI-savvy cyber professionals and for protecting sensitive technology under U.S. control. He frames AI and cyber efforts as drivers of local economic growth and as critical tools for national security, working to keep Alabama at the forefront of these fields.

**Sources:** Official press releases and statements by Sen. Britt and Sen. Tuberville; bipartisan congressional press releases and bills (Budd/Tuberville DeepSeek letter, Connolly/Strong CyberCorps Act, DHS innovation bill, etc.); Congressional websites (Congress.gov) for bill sponsorship. All statements above are drawn from primary sources in the public record.

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