Lobbying

California’s tech companies, the epicenter of the state’s economy, sent politicians a loud message: Back down from restrictive artificial intelligence regulation or they’ll leave. The tactic appeared to have worked, activists said, because some politicians weakened or scrapped guardrails to mitigate AI’s biggest risks. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) rejected a bill aimed at making companion chatbots safer for children after the tech industry fought it.

HumanX and Humanrace Capital have tapped Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) to launch the AI Coalition, a nonprofit meant to help smaller AI companies and startups get access to Washington. Without a voice in D.C., startups fear they could be sidelined by the heavy compliance costs of inconsistent state laws or onerous federal rules.

Public Knowledge promoted Nat Purser, formerly a Government Affairs Policy Advocate, to Senior Policy Advocate for her work in championing consumer interests on Capitol Hill. Her portfolio will grow from broadband access, broadband affordability, and spectrum policy to also include artificial intelligence. Prior to joining Public Knowledge, Purser served as a Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) Fellow on Capitol Hill. She previously worked on competition, content moderation, and net neutrality policy at Yelp and in the Michigan legislature.

The U.S. cable industry plays a vital role in the country’s communications infrastructure. In 2024, it delivered 59% of all fixed internet connections, serving 80 million broadband subscribers nationwide.

Many of you know my creed in leadership that we all have a finite time to leave our world better than we found it. And part of that recognition is knowing when the time has come in the life cycle of an organization to have fresh leadership, perspective, vision and a longer runway to get the job done. While this is a bittersweet message to deliver, this is the right time for our industry to make that change. We just came through a crisis over the past four years where we didn’t know if the essential Universal Service Fund would survive. But through our hard work together, it did.

President Trump led leaders of the world’s biggest technology companies in a version of his cabinet meetings, in which each participant takes a turn thanking and praising him, this time for his efforts to promote investments in chip manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

If it’s August, it means it’s time for the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) Congressional Broadband Tour. This annual event brings congressional staff members to different parts of the country to learn about rural broadband and how it is critical for education, health care, economic prosperity and thriving rural communities.

Steven Renderos is the executive director of MediaJustice, a national nonprofit based in Oakland, California, that advocates for the technology rights of people of color. What’s one big, underrated idea? "Winning the AI race doesn’t matter if our communities lose. Communities deserve the right to shape what technology does in their lives.

AT&T has pledged to accelerate fiber deployment in one million locations as a response to the passage of H.R. 1, signed into law July 4 by President Donald Trump. AT&T’s announcement promises to invest more rapidly in infrastructure projects starting in 2026. It was sent to AT&T investors one day before the bill was signed. The law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, renews the ability of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to auction radio spectrum, an ability that had lapsed due to gridlock in 2023.

Artificial intelligence is already changing young people’s lives. Students are generating essays with a few clicks. Young people are becoming entangled in emotionally-manipulative relationships with chatbots. Seven out of 10 teens have used a generative AI tool — systems that can amplify bias and misinformation. Parents and teachers can’t keep up. Common Sense Media is stepping in to help. Since 2003, the nonprofit has successfully advocated for young people through huge shifts in media from TV and video games to social media, earning the trust of parents and educators along the way.