Republicans seek to boost AI while tightening grip on social media and online speech

Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation over the last week that could give the federal government a tighter grasp on some tech platforms, while easing up government scrutiny on artificial intelligence.   

The Republican-led House Energy and Commerce Committee’s budget reconciliation bill was introduced Tuesday and would give the federal government the ability to update IT systems as well as use AI systems at the Commerce Department. The bill would also put a pause on states’…