Montana has made history as the first state in the U.S. to legally protect its citizens’ right to access and use computational tools and artificial intelligence technologies. Governor Greg Gianforte this week signed Senate Bill 212, officially known as the Montana Right to Compute Act (MRTCA), into law.
The groundbreaking legislation affirms Montanans’ fundamental right to own and operate computational resources — including hardware, software, and AI tools — under the state’s constitutional protections for property and free expression. Supporters of the bill say it represents a major step in securing digital freedoms in an increasingly AI-driven world.
“Montana is once again leading the way in defending individual liberty,” said Senator Daniel Zolnikov, the bill’s sponsor and a longtime advocate for digital privacy. “With the Right to Compute Act, we are ensuring that every Montanan can access and control the tools of the future.”
While the law allows state regulation of computation in the interest of public health and safety, it sets a high bar: any restrictions must be demonstrably necessary and narrowly tailored to serve a compelling interest. Legal experts note that this is one of the most protective standards available under Montana law.
The act also includes provisions for AI-controlled critical infrastructure, requiring both a “shutdown mechanism” to allow human control and annual safety reviews — a move aimed at balancing innovation with public safety concerns.
The bill has drawn praise from privacy advocates and tech policy groups. Tanner Avery, Policy Director at the free-market think tank Frontier Institute, called the law a “flag in the ground” for digital rights, adding: “Montana has made clear it will treat any attempt to infringe on fundamental digital freedoms with the utmost scrutiny.”
The MRTCA stands in stark contrast to recent regulatory efforts in other states, such as California, Virginia, and New York, where proposals to rein in AI technologies have either failed or been heavily revised. Montana’s approach leans toward empowering individual users rather than restricting access.
The law has already inspired similar efforts in New Hampshire, where lawmakers are pushing a constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to computation. Rep. Keith Ammon, the state’s Majority Floor Leader, praised Montana’s leadership: “This is the kind of bold move that sets the tone for the rest of the country.”
Nationally, the Right to Compute movement is gaining traction. Spearheaded by the grassroots group RightToCompute.ai, the campaign argues that computation — like speech and property — is a fundamental human right. “A computer is an extension of the human capacity to think,” the organization states.
The movement is supported by Haltia.AI, a Dubai-based AI startup, and the ASIMOV Protocol, a blockchain consortium advocating for decentralized AI infrastructure. Talal Thabet, Co-Founder of both groups, praised Montana’s law as “a monumental step forward in ensuring individuals retain control of their own data and digital tools.”
As debates over AI governance and digital rights continue to evolve, Montana’s bold new law could serve as a blueprint for other states seeking to safeguard freedom in the digital era.
By: DNU staff