As Florida moves to establish its approach to artificial intelligence regulation, a new report from the state’s leading business advocacy group is urging lawmakers to strike a balance between oversight and innovation.

The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) released its 2025 AI Executive Summary this week, outlining policy recommendations that aim to ensure regulatory clarity while fostering economic growth. The report warns that a piecemeal approach to AI regulation at the state level could create compliance challenges for businesses and hinder technological development. AIF is calling for a uniform, risk-based framework that distinguishes between high-risk applications—such as AI in healthcare, finance, and autonomous vehicles—and lower-risk uses, including customer service chatbots and data analytics tools. The report argues that regulations should focus on AI systems that make consequential decisions impacting consumers while avoiding unnecessary restrictions on general business applications.

“When individual states implement their own regulations, the lack of uniformity can lead to confusion and inefficiency for businesses that operate across state lines, potentially stifling innovation and increasing compliance costs,” the report states.

Lawmakers have already taken steps to address AI governance. In 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 919, which regulates AI-generated political advertisements and establishes a legal definition for generative artificial intelligence. While the measure was intended to increase transparency, AIF raises concerns that its definition of AI may be overly rigid, potentially complicating future legislative efforts. The report recommends that Florida align its AI policies with national standards, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework, to maintain regulatory consistency.

“The definition contained in HB 919 combines an AI definition with a specific type of AI, limiting flexibility for future legislation and interoperability with other states,” the report notes.

Another measure, Senate Bill 1680, created the Florida Government Technology Modernization Council, a body tasked with assessing the implications of AI use in both the public and private sectors. Chaired by outgoing Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, the council is expected to evaluate AI safety standards, analyze the risks of digital fraud, and explore potential applications of AI across state agencies.

AIF also addresses the state’s approach to AI enforcement, pointing to House Bill 1459, which proposed mandatory AI disclosures for businesses and penalties of up to $50,000 per violation. While the measure did not pass, the report raises concerns that broadly written regulatory language could impose compliance burdens on businesses, particularly those using AI tools for routine operations.

AIF suggests that any future enforcement measures should include a “right to cure” provision, allowing businesses to address violations before facing penalties. It also recommends capping fines at levels consistent with existing Florida privacy laws, which impose $7,500 per violation, or with Utah’s AI legislation, which limits penalties to $2,500 per offense.

“The proposed language, which states ‘offers for use or interaction,’ could be interpreted to include the presence of text or images on a website,” the report states, warning that vague terminology could create unintended legal exposure. “Consider lowering and capping the maximum penalty for violations.”