AI Moratorium: Who Can Afford to Resist?

Interactive analysis of how the AI moratorium disproportionately affects conservative states

Republican
Democratic
Swing
Republican-leaning states
Democratic-leaning states
Swing states
State Annual Budget (Billions $)
BEAD Funding as % of Budget

Key Insight: The Moratorium Paradox

California (Budget: $325B, BEAD: 0.05%) can easily forgo BEAD funds and maintain aggressive AI regulation.

Smaller conservative states with budgets under $20B and BEAD funding representing 5-16% of their budgets face an impossible choice: accept federal funding and surrender regulatory autonomy, or maintain state sovereignty while losing critical infrastructure investment.

Result: Progressive states get to impose AI rules nationally through market effects, while conservative states are blocked from implementing balanced, locally-appropriate protections.

Based on most recent state budget data and BEAD funding allocations