This month, tech enthusiasts from around the world made their annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The CES is a showcase for the newest and boldest developments in the tech landscape. Industry leaders and startups alike use CES as an opportunity to network, learn, and display their latest work. This year, artificial intelligence was everywhere, and the excitement and skepticism among attendees seemed to reflect  the national mood on this rapidly evolving technology.

AI exhibitions at CES ranged from novelty items to cutting edge innovations with potential to change entire industries. Some of the wackiest included a dog bowl that helps owners track their pets’ food consumption, a smart refrigerator that notifies when food is expired, and an app that claims to translate a baby’s cries with the power of AI.

The more sophisticated presentations promised to harness the power of AI by combining it with current technology. BMW flaunted a car that uses AI large language models, like those seen in ChatGPT, to act as an interactive car manual. The Rabbit R1 is a personal assistant powered by AI that will use and optimize apps for you. The keynote presentation from NASDAQ CEO  Adena Friedman suggested that AI could help solve criminal activity in the financial industry.

However, the enthusiasm was paired with concern and most AI presentations were peppered with addendums of “trustworthy” and “responsible.” AI governance was a hot topic, and the show included panels of lawmakers and representatives from federal agencies to discuss the risks of AI. Lawmakers were quick to propose policies and regulation in response to concerns over the technology.

The impulse to regulate is not isolated to CES, and many AI laws have already been authored this year. While some proposed bills encourage American progress and education about AI, other invite increased government influence over the developing technology. For instance, the Biden Administration released an Executive Order on AI last year that favors micromanagement over responsible innovation, and a recent bill was introduced to require any agency using AI to create an office that ensures the AI is not discriminatory or biased.

This approach ignores existing laws and regulations, both federal and state, that can more efficiently address concerns over AI. Examples include civil rights laws, fair labor standards, and product liability. Many also argue that consumers should make decisions about AI based on their own values and without the “help” of the government. They believe an ethical culture around AI will come from market accountability, not a litany of new regulations.

If the Consumer Electronics Show is any indicator, AI is here to stay and only becoming more useful in our daily lives. Lawmakers and consumers alike should look to existing safeguards and market competition to combat bad uses of the technology and encourage innovation.