Anti-AI: What's in "The Big Beautiful Bill" and my read on Palantir.

  

Doing some research this morning on Palantir and research into the AI measures contained in the SCROTUS "Big, Beautiful Bill" currently in the hands of the US Senate.  

From "The National Law Review":

A component of Trump’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill” features an AI moratorium provision that would impose a 10-year ban on state-level artificial intelligence (AI) regulations and would also preempt over 1,000 active AI-related bills in state capitals and dozens that have already been signed into law. Proponents of the moratorium argue that a patchwork of state rules "strangles innovation and creates compliance chaos." 

The moratorium, however, faces strong objections from Senate lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as well as a majority of state attorneys general. The detractors include Republican critics (despite their party's role in advancing the bill), including Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who has vocally opposed the ban, emphasizing the need for state protections from AI impersonations. She asserted a bipartisan-shared sentiment: "until we pass something that is federally preemptive, we can’t call for a moratorium." Joining Sen. Blackburn in GOP opposition is Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), who said he would “do everything I can” to kill the AI moratorium and referred to the clause as “constitutional kryptonite.” He argued that states should be able to "try out different regimes that they think will work for their state" and voiced the view that "sensible oversight that will protect people’s liberties" is needed.

A bipartisan group of 40 state attorneys general has expressed concern, labeling the measure “sweeping and wholly destructive of reasonable state efforts to prevent known harms associated with AI.” The group includes South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, who called the ban “federal overreach,” and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, who echoed the concern voiced by Sen. Blackburn and others that "Congress's inability to enact comprehensive legislation enshrining AI protections leaves millions of Americans … vulnerable."  

 

If this measure makes it through the Senate review process unchanged, we are pretty much fucked. 

That said... who is lobbying this bill?  Palantir and Peter Thiel.  

Palantir is here.  It's not new, just more or less unheard of before.  Owned partially by Peter Thiel, it was funded by the US Government and it integral to many of the agencies; Defense, Agriculture, now the CIA and FBI.  Sadly, they are also going to try and use this AI platform for ICE enforcement.  But this train has left the station.  Not a whole hell of a lot we can do about it. In a recent "The Daily Show" interview with Carol Cadwalladr stated, the US had years to come up with ANY effective legislation, but failed to do anything.  Cadwalladr was the journalist who uncovered the Cambridge Analytica scandal involving Facebook/META.  This is the full interview with Jon Stewart.  

 

 

 

Back to Palantir.  Although Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, would like to send drones to spray urine infused with fentanyl over the analysts who attacked him, he still does not come off as drug-fueled insane as Musk, but...  

 

But only time will tell if they can get unadulterated access to ALL government data.  Currently, the AI can only read public domain government information; things not considered sensitive, private or top-secret. That can change if this bill gets passed, as-is.  

 

Let's talk tea leaves; where my head is going on this all morning: When Dubya became POTUS, my tech stocks under Clinton tanked. I looked at where Bush / Cheney policies were geared towards; oil.  All oil.   I did my research and found two oil companies (at the time) that had the better corporate environment (LBGT protections) and diverse offerings (not just oil, but included other energy sectors).  I put a portion of my portfolio into those companies, and survived his tenure in office. 

 

SCROTUS has the tech bros.  Mostly AI focused; all clamoring to get a piece of the Government pie.  Palintir has been deeply in bed with the US Government for years; developing AI for the DoD and Agriculture; now CIA and FBI, soon DHS and ICE.  

 

If the BBB gets through congress, unchanged - even with the watered down AI protections, much like General Dynamics or Lockheed/Martin, I will expect Palantir, under Trump and the GOP, to become an absolute, de facto US government sanctioned AI company. Palantir (PLTR) stock is going to soar.     

 

Is any of this good?  I don't feel there is any "Lesser of two evils"; it's all evil - even with a gay male (Thiel) at the top of this particular AI company.  At least in the "good 'ole Bush years" there were alternatives to Exxon/Mobil and Shell.  Frankly, I'm just contemplating financial survival through these times - hey! I'd like to remain retired. I don't know what the answer is?  This post is just a tiny portion from the tsunami of absolute chaos and intrusion that will be AI, especially if the BBB gets through the Senate untouched.     

 

Just pay attention. Do what you can.  Research.   

 

Buckle up.   

 

At least one good thing came of the week... this particular GOP money faucet is now shut off.  

 

We may just survive to the mid-terms...