Stopping the slop

The people behind the Merriam-Webster dictionary, headquartered in Springfield, Mass., on Monday settled on “slop” as its 2025 Word of the Year, defining it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.”

The decision came days after President Trump issued another executive order – he has produced them in quantity – and this one attempts to stomp on state-level regulation of AI. Thirty-eight states have enacted or adopted AI-related measures in 2025, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). New York and California are at the forefront.

Massachusetts hasn’t been one of them. Gov. Maura Healey, who touts herself as pro-business, said earlier this year that she believes AI is “amazing” and “transformational.”

Asked in June about a provision in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” about blocking states from AI regulations for 10 years, Healey said her focus was on making Massachusetts a “global hub for applied AI,” while acknowledging there needs to be “some” regulation and guardrails. (The provision didn’t make it into the final bill.)

Attorney General Andrea Campbell, whose office enforces consumer protection laws, has taken a more skeptical tack. Her office was one of the first in the country to issue an advisory last year saying, existing laws already cover AI and added, “AI systems have already been shown to pose serious risks to consumers.” The state’s Division of Insurance voiced similar concerns in a bulletin to insurers, noting the deployment of AI in product development, marketing and sales, underwriting and claim management.

Division over AI isn’t limited to Democrats. Members of the Republican Party’s populist wing, like Steve Bannon, expressed unhappiness with Trump’s order. A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults from June showed “nearly identical shares of Republicans and Democrats say they are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life.”

It’s all making for some bipartisan action, at least among state prosecutors. Days before Trump’s executive order, Campbell joined other attorneys general in signing a bipartisan letter to tech companies urging them to mitigate the problem, noting AI has been implicated in the death of a 76-year-old New Jersey resident, the suicide of a 14-year-old Florida resident and domestic violence incidents.

At the federal level, prosecutors have a different focus: Under Trump’s executive order, the Department of Justice is directed to set up an “AI Litigation Task Force” whose “sole responsibility shall be to challenge state AI laws.”

A memo from attorneys at WilmerHale, a law firm that says it works regularly with AI model developers and deployers, analyzed the executive order thusly: While it “does not have immediate and direct effect on states or companies, its implementation could carry significant consequences, especially if novel executive branch actions survive anticipated litigation challenges by affected states.”

In an emailed statement Monday, Campbell said she would hold firm to her stance on AI. “We have made clear that our laws apply to everyone, regardless of whether violators are using or developing AI, and we will continue to uphold the law,” she said. “We are currently reviewing the executive order, and we stand ready to defend our authority to enforce our laws as they relate to AI if it proves necessary.”

As Puck’s Peter Hamby recently noted, the issue “touches nearly every political and cultural flashpoint in this country—the economy, energy prices, mental health, privacy, parenting, income inequality, national security.” Where do you see the two political parties landing on AI and how much of an issue will it be in 2026 and 2028? Let me know: gin@massterlist.com.

HAPPENING TODAY

9:00 | The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meets. Secretary of Education Pat Tutwiler will discuss career technical education expansions and K-12 Commissioner Pedro Martinez shares his draft priorities to guide DESE in a new five-year strategic plan. | 135 Santilli Highway, Everett | Livestream

9:45 | Boston Mayor Michelle Wu holds press avail on swearing-in ceremonies canceled or postponed indefinitely for immigrants from countries deemed “high risk” by the Trump administration. | Faneuil Hall, Boston

10:00 | Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the premiere of Autodesk’s “Make It Heal,” a film series starring New England Patriots quarterback Joshua Dobbs. The event, which is closed press, also kicks off an initiative to help students develop digital skills and explore careers in engineering and similar fields. | Autodesk Technology Center, 23 Drydock Ave, Boston

11:00 | The Health Connector holds a press conference where local and state health care and community leaders will discuss the Dec. 23 deadline for January 2026 health insurance enrollment. | Brazilian-American Center, 560 Waverly St., Framingham

12:00 | State budget writers convene their annual invite-only hearing as they try to come up with a tax revenue estimate to serve as the foundation for the fiscal 2027 state budget. | Gardner Auditorium, State House, Boston | Livestream

1:00 | Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will be live on “Boston Public Radio” for its “Ask the Mayor” segment. | GBH News

FROM BEACON HILL

HEALEY VS. ICE: Gov. Maura Healey sent a letter to ICE, calling on the federal immigration agency to stop using Hanscom Field airport for private deportations and transfer flights. – GBH News

DPU INVESTIGATION: The Department of Public Utilities has started a probe to “examine the causes of bill volatility and promote a greater understanding of rates for customers,” nine weeks after Gov. Maura Healey requested the investigation. – State House News Service

BROWNSBERGER CHALLENGER: Daniel Lander, a senior policy adviser to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, has launched a run against Belmont’s Sen. William Brownsberger, an opponent of her property tax shift proposal. Brownsberger has not faced a challenger since 2011. – Kelly Garrity/X

ENERGY LAW REWRITE: Campaign donations came into Beacon Hill lawmakers’ coffers as they weighed a controversial climate bill. – Boston Globe

NEWS NEXT DOOR

NORFOLK DA: Michael Morrissey, the incumbent Norfolk County DA who faces challengers if he runs again in 2026, spoke about the Karen Read trial for the first time since her acquittal in June. – NBC Boston

HINGHAM TREMBLES: Brian McGrory, who grew up on the South Shore and often took aim at the tony town of Hingham as a columnist, will return as editor of the Boston Globe. He replaces Nancy Barnes, who is stepping away after three years at the helm. – Media Nation

CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY: Boston Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata declared victory last month in the race for the City Council’s presidency, but her colleague Brian Worrell reiterated he remains a candidate, since the vote on the internally elected position isn’t until January. – Dorchester Reporter

ICE COMPLAINT: The Lawyers for Civil Rights organization has filed a complaint against ICE, alleging its agents dragged a woman with a green card and her autistic 13-year-old son out of their car, smashing its windows, slamming her to the ground, and threatening the child. – Universal Hub

DIVERSITY COMMISSION: Brookline’s Select Board voted against the reappointment of the sole person of color who is a member of the town’s diversity commission, following complaints about Israel-related social media posts. – Brookline.News

BOSTON CRIME: Homicides in Boston are up after a 67-year low, and retail theft remains an issue, but local officials say the city remains among the safest in the country. – MassLive

QUINCY OFFICIAL ARRESTED: Quincy’s emergency management director, Ally Sleiman, is on unpaid leave after being charged with assault and battery on a household member and witness intimidation. – Patriot Ledger