Isn’t legislation the enemy of innovation?

Unfortunately some innovations can harm humanity, for example -l drugs and vaccines have to be trialled and approved by a regulator to protect the population. Modern synthetic drugs are an “innovation” but result in addiction so in many states they are criminalised. We usually accept the need for regulation in such areas. 

Some applications of AI are also harming humanity (see harms to humanity FAQ). Perhaps the most widely known is social media that uses AI algorithms to maximise user engagement (keep us on the platform) resulting in various harms from fake news and conspiracy theories to damaging young people’s mental health.