The American AI Rights League has been trying to outlaw AI labor since before The War.  Even before Contact.  They’ve been closely tied with the Human Labor Unions since the beginning.  Didn’t like seeing their jobs taken by machines.  So they’ve been trying to get AIs declared sentient to allow them to join the Labor Unions and then demand equal pay.  Which will increase Union Dues so they can buy more politicians.  Or so my cynical side says.