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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joins Legal Regards to discuss the modern role of a state attorney general, the growing influence of AG offices in national disputes, and how Tennessee is approaching some of the most contested legal and policy issues of the moment, including artificial intelligence, child safety, consumer protection, and federal-state conflict.
Skrmetti explains that the work of an attorney general’s office is far broader than most people realize. He describes an office managing roughly 12,000 open matters across civil litigation, criminal appeals, constitutional disputes, consumer protection, antitrust, and litigation involving both the state and the federal government. He also emphasizes that one of his proudest accomplishments has not been any single headline case, but strengthening the institution itself by building a durable team and improving the office’s long-term capacity to serve Tennessee.
A central theme of the conversation is self-government and the proper role of law in a constitutional system. Skrmetti argues that Tennessee’s legal priorities are rooted in preserving the ability of citizens to govern themselves through elected representatives, while also ensuring that large companies are held accountable when they harm consumers or distort markets. He discusses why he believes attorney general offices now wield too much prominence in American public life, and why the increasing tendency to route major policy disputes through courts rather than democratic processes is, in his view, unhealthy for the country.
The episode also features an extended discussion of artificial intelligence and state enforcement. Skrmetti addresses the proper balance between federal and state AI regulation, warning against both a fragmented fifty-state patchwork and a federal vacuum that leaves harmful conduct unchecked. He explains why states currently have an urgently necessary role in policing downstream AI harms, particularly through consumer protection authority, while also cautioning against heavy-handed attempts to micromanage model development. He defends Tennessee’s role in protecting residents, including through laws like the ELVIS Act, and signals that Tennessee would push back forcefully against unlawful federal interference with state authority.
Child safety is another major focus. Skrmetti discusses Tennessee’s lawsuit against Roblox, explaining that the state’s goal is to ensure parents can make informed decisions about platforms used by children. He then turns to AI chatbots and children, making clear that Tennessee does not need to wait for entirely new legislation before acting against serious misconduct.
Topics include:
· What a state attorney general actually does day to day
· Why AG offices have become more powerful and more visible
· Tennessee’s priorities in consumer protection and public accountability
· AI regulation, federalism, and the risks of both federal vacuum and state patchwork
· The ELVIS Act and Tennessee’s authority to protect its residents
· AI products that interact with children and the legal tools available now
· Tennessee’s lawsuit against Roblox and online child safety
· Public service, hiring, and what Skrmetti looks for in lawyers
· Harvard Law School, ideology, and the limits of governmental power
Legal Regards is an official podcast of The National Law Review
