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WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats are establishing a new working group dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on personal lives, national security, and the 2024 elections. Led by Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., the AI working group will operate within the New Democrat Coalition, a influential bloc of 97 House members known for their behind-the-scenes influence on caucus policy.
The working group will prioritize various issues, including leveraging AI opportunities and ensuring the smooth transition of workers who may lose their jobs to AI automation. However, the looming concern is the rise of deepfakes, which have the ability to disseminate misinformation. Deepfakes range from foreign states using AI to spread political disinformation to the creation of fake media damaging individuals’ reputations.
“There is a genuine concern about the potential misuse of AI-generated disinformation and advanced AI models,” Kilmer stated. “Addressing this requires Congress to quickly educate themselves on these matters.”
Previously, Kilmer was part of a bipartisan group pressuring the Department of Homeland Security to provide an annual report on digital forgery trends. Another member of the New Democrat Coalition, Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), introduced legislation that criminalizes the sharing of AI-generated images depicting real people in compromising yet fabricated situations.
In a report conducted in 2019, it was discovered that 96% of all deepfake videos were non-consensual and pornographic. Additionally, lawmakers are also concerned about the implications of AI-generated images in campaign advertisements. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political committee recently employed AI in an ad to mimic former President Donald Trump’s voice, making it appear as if he was reading a social media post he had written. There is a growing need for guidelines requiring the disclosure of AI-generated images or videos in political ads.
This new working group from the New Democrat Coalition joins a series of AI-focused study groups initiated by members of Congress, reflecting the increasing importance of the AI debate on Capitol Hill and beyond. Bipartisan caucuses in both the House and Senate, as well as an informal working group led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), are actively developing bipartisan bills that can serve as a framework for future AI legislation. However, the legislative process is still in early stages, and the timeline for voting on AI bills remains uncertain.
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