Montana Takes a Stand on Digital Rights
The passing of Senate Bill 212, known as the “Montana Right to Compute Act” (MRTCA), marks a significant milestone in the United States’ approach to digital rights. Signed by Governor Greg Gianforte, Montana now leads as the first state to legally enshrine citizens’ rights to access computing resources and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. This legislative decision demonstrates Montana’s commitment to extending constitutional rights of property and freedom of expression into the digital realm, thus ensuring residents can own and operate technologies from physical equipment to AI tools.
Senator Daniel Zolnikov, who spearheaded the bill, advocates for digital privacy and highlighted, “With the ‘Right to Compute Act,’ we ensure every Montanan can access and control future tools.” The law, however, maintains regulation, allowing restrictions on computing and AI operations when necessary to safeguard public health and safety. Such interventions must meet a stringent necessity threshold, serving an “exceptionally important” goal, thereby setting a high standard for any limitation attempts.
Implications for Critical Infrastructure
A key provision of MRTCA emphasizes critical AI-operated infrastructure. It mandates a shutdown mechanism in these systems, empowering humans to manually intervene if needed, alongside annual security audits. These measures aim to buoy technological advancement without compromising public control and safety.
National and Global Reactions to MRTCA
The Act has garnered support from digital rights advocates and voices seeking to minimize excessive tech regulation. Tanner Avery, Policy Director at the Frontier Institute, celebrates the law as a “flag-raising for digital rights,” stressing Montana’s clear stance against infringing fundamental digital freedoms. Contrastingly, states like California, Virginia, and New York face challenges in passing stricter AI oversight laws. The MRTCA focuses on empowering individual users while ensuring safety mechanisms exist for systems of public importance.
In New Hampshire, inspired legislators are debating a constitutional amendment to guarantee computing rights, with House Majority Leader Keith Ammon praising Montana’s initiative as a country-leading example. Additionally, the Right to Compute movement, backed by RightToCompute.ai, argues computing is akin to free speech and property rights, essential to human capacity. Supported by entities like Dubai’s Haltia.AI startup and the ASIMOV Protocol blockchain consortium, co-founder Talal Tabet regards Montana’s law as a “monumental step toward maintaining control over personal data and digital tools.”
A New Paradigm in AI Governance
Amidst intensifying AI governance debates, the MRTCA emerges as a pioneering legal reference. It models a governance approach that protects computing access while ensuring transparent and justified boundaries for interference, influencing policy discussions in other states.
Illustration: Sora