When Representative Jerry McNerney assumed leadership of the House caucus dedicated to artificial intelligence in 2018, he encountered a lack of interest among his colleagues. McNerney estimated that only about 18 or 20 lawmakers out of the 435-person body would attend a typical session. This sentiment was echoed by Dragos Tudorache, a Romanian member of the European Parliament who co-leads AI work, when he reached out to the U.S. caucus in 2020 and found little political momentum.
However, the success of AI-powered ChatGPT has sparked a frenzy among Washington lawmakers to draft new laws addressing the potential of AI. When Tudorache visited Washington recently, he noticed a significant increase in activity around AI and attended a bipartisan briefing with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. This shift in attitude is crucial as the European Union has surged ahead of Washington in advancing robust AI legislation.
To catch up, members of Congress and their staff are seeking crash courses on AI. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer is preparing to unveil a plan for how Congress could regulate AI, prompting lawmakers to attend briefings with industry executives and engage with leading academics. However, a lack of technical expertise among lawmakers has allowed corporate interests to intervene. Washington has become a destination for executives eager to educate lawmakers and influence policymaking.
While some consumer advocates are wary that the industry may have too much control in shaping regulations, others argue that lawmakers are already taking steps to understand the impact of AI on society and address potential risks and benefits. Congress has introduced bills related to data protection and algorithmic audits, and they can also rely on resources like the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Research Service for tech assessments.
Nevertheless, concerns remain about the close relationship between lawmakers and the industry, as recent corporate lobbying on AI may compromise impartial regulation. Executives like Eric Schmidt of Google have perpetuated the perception that AI is too complex for Congress to comprehend, potentially diverting accountability away from public officials and into the hands of industry stakeholders.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
