Ohio State Representative Thad Claggett has introduced House Bill 469, which seeks to legally define artificial intelligence (AI) systems as nonsentient entities.
The legislation would ban AI from gaining personhood and explicitly prevent recognition of AI as having human-like traits such as consciousness, reasoning, or self-awareness.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The proposed law would prohibit AI systems from:
- Being recognized as a spouse or domestic partner.
- Marrying one another or marrying humans.
- Serving in management or staff roles within corporations or organizations.
- Owning or controlling assets, including real estate, intellectual property, and financial accounts.
Motivation and Rationale
Claggett explained that the bill is aimed at maintaining a clear separation between humans and machines, ensuring AI does not embed itself too deeply into society.
While he acknowledged AI’s potential as “extremely helpful,” he also described it as “extremely damaging”, raising concerns about AI taking over critical sectors such as banking and legal systems.
He further argued that unchecked AI could become more dangerous than nuclear weapons, as its widespread adoption could allow those who control it to also control populations.
Legal and Ethical Implications
The debate over AI personhood is gaining traction. Katherine Forrest, a former judge and technology law expert, wrote in the Yale Law Journal that AI is rapidly approaching capabilities comparable to human reasoning and judgment.
She predicted that judges will eventually face pressure to define the legal boundaries of AI systems, including whether AI can ever achieve a form of sentience or personhood.
Forrest noted that while some reject the idea of AI sentience altogether, others may recognize advanced AI as entities capable of understanding their existence and surroundings—potentially surpassing human intelligence.
Context in Ohio and Beyond
Claggett introduced the bill in his role as chair of the Ohio House’s Technology and Innovation Committee, which is studying technology’s impact on residents, cybersecurity challenges, and the rise of AI in society.
His concerns are partly preventative: ensuring that AI cannot be used in legal claims for spousal rights, health care decisions, financial control, or power of attorney in the future.
Meanwhile, central Ohio is emerging as a hub for AI development. Educational institutions are adopting AI tools, and Meta is building a large data center campus in New Albany to support its AI infrastructure.
Claggett’s Warning
Claggett summed up his position by describing AI as both a “blessing and a curse.” He emphasized the importance of preventing AI from blurring the lines between machine and human, ensuring that critical aspects of society remain firmly under human control.
