AI Regulation Is Going Off the Rails with Logan Kolas | Let People Prosper Ep. 194
Why bad policy could kill innovation before it delivers prosperity
Hello Friends!
Artificial intelligence is moving fast—faster than most policymakers can keep up. That’s not the real problem. The real problem is that lawmakers are trying anyway… and getting it wrong.
Across the country, states are rushing to regulate AI with rules that sound good politically but risk slowing innovation, raising costs, and limiting opportunity. Instead of learning from past policy mistakes, many are repeating them—this time with one of the most important technologies of our lifetime. That should concern anyone who cares about growth, competition, and consumer welfare.
In this episode of the Let People Prosper Show, I interview Logan Kolas, Director of Technology Policy at the American Consumer Institute, to break down what’s happening in AI policy, why so many proposals are misguided, and what a better path forward looks like.
If you want to understand how AI policy could shape the future of the economy—and your everyday life—this conversation is worth your time.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of the Let People Prosper Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Find out more about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting here: vanceginn.com.
Who Is Logan Kolas?
Logan Kolas leads research on artificial intelligence, data privacy, and emerging technology policy at the American Consumer Institute. His work focuses on a critical challenge: how to protect consumers without suffocating innovation.
Before ACI, he worked at The Buckeye Institute and the Cato Institute, and his commentary has appeared in outlets like The Hill and RealClearPolicy. He brings a practical, economics-first lens to a debate that too often gets driven by fear instead of facts.
🔗 Read his work here: https://www.theamericanconsumer.org/
🎯 Key Takeaways
1. AI policy is being driven by fear, not facts
Too many proposals start with worst-case scenarios rather than real-world evidence. That leads to overly broad rules that treat innovation as a threat instead of an opportunity. Fear-based policymaking rarely ends well—and AI is no exception.
2. The “patchwork problem” is a serious threat
States are advancing hundreds—if not thousands—of AI-related bills.
The result? A confusing, inconsistent web of regulations that:
Raises compliance costs
Discourages startups
Favors large incumbents
Innovation does not thrive in regulatory chaos.
3. Many “good intentions” policies backfire
Policies like:
Algorithmic pricing bans
Automation taxes
Broad AI “fairness” mandates
…may sound reasonable, but often:
Increase costs for consumers
Reduce efficiency
Slow job creation and growth
Intentions are not outcomes—and policy should be judged by results.
4. AI is not the “Wild West”
One of the biggest myths is that AI is unregulated.
In reality, existing laws already cover:
Fraud
Discrimination
Consumer protection
Layering new, duplicative regulations on top of that creates more confusion—not more safety.
5. Smart policy should focus on principles, not panic
Kolas lays out a better path forward:
Technology-neutral rules
Regulatory sandboxes
Flexible, innovation-friendly frameworks
If the goal is leadership in AI, the U.S. needs to encourage experimentation—not shut it down.
🎙️ Why This Conversation Matters
AI is not just another policy issue—it is a general-purpose technology that will shape the future of:
Work
Healthcare
Education
Finance
National competitiveness
The wrong policies today could limit innovation for decades. We have seen this story before. Overregulation in other sectors has:
Slowed productivity
Increased costs
Reduced competition
There is no reason to repeat those mistakes with AI. Yet that is exactly where many states are headed.
Subscribe to the newsletter, share this episode, and keep helping spread the message that better economics leads to better lives. Get more information about my work at Ginn Economic Consulting at vanceginn.com.
Let people prosper.
Vance Ginn, Ph.D.
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