Repost: Originally published the morning of April 7, 2026
Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
A bill ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be granted personhood in Tennessee passed the Senate on Monday, just leaving the House to vote before the legislation can become law.
SB0837 by Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon-District 17) would clarify that in Tennessee law, wherever the word “person” is used, it always means a human being or human-led entity and not any kind of AI, which includes computer algorithms, software, computer hardware, or any other type of machine.
“Artificial intelligence is growing so rapidly, it’s hard to put the right gutters and guiderails on it. We don’t even know what it’s going to be like five to ten years from now, however, the goal here is to make sure that artificial intelligence is not going to meet the qualifications of a ‘person’,” Sen. Pody said on the floor Monday.
Democrat Sen. Jeff Yarbro questioned the purpose of the legislation, saying there could be “unintended consequences” by establishing a “blanket rule” in saying AI cannot be a person in the whole of Tennessee law.
Sen. Pody responded, “I never know what ‘unintended consequences’ could be down the road or in the future, but I do know this. Artificial life is artificial; it’s called artificial life because that’s what it is. No matter how far, no matter how advanced it gets, we want to make sure it’s distinguished between what a person is and what artificial is.”
The vote was ultimately 26-6 in favor of the bill with no Republicans voting against.
HB0849, the House companion bill carried by Rep. Michele Reneau (R-Signal Mountain-District 27), is scheduled for a full House vote on Wednesday, April 8.
While some House Democrats have been supportive of the legislation, others have remained skittish, so at this juncture it is unclear if this support will translate to the House floor on Wednesday, though it is likely the bill will still pass without Democrat support.
Use this tool to find contact information for your Representative if you would like to express support for this legislation.
