Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is moving to craft legislation to regulate artificial intelligence.
Schumer announced on Tuesday that he has been circulating a framework for AI legislation among experts in recent weeks. The effort is a response to the rise of chatbots such as ChatGPT and Bard, which have become more commonly used in the workplace. It follows the Biden administration requesting public comment on AI-related regulation.
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“The Age of AI is here, and here to stay,” Schumer said in a statement. “Now is the time to develop, harness, and advance its potential to benefit our country for generations.”
The rules under consideration would require companies to allow independent experts to access and test new AI technologies before they are released. The technology would be regulated to ensure that users were given disclosures about the AI, that the government received data needed for oversight, and that users weren’t harmed — a term not given further definition by Schumer. He also said AI would be regulated to align the technology with “American values.”
Schumer will spend the next few weeks refining his guidelines with academic, industry, and government leaders, according to people familiar with the matter. He will also be the one to determine when the vote will go to the floor as majority leader.
Schumer argued during a 2019 appearance at the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence that the United States needs to make a major investment in AI to compete with China.
The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration requested public comment on Tuesday regarding regulatory measures for AI.
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“Responsible AI systems could bring enormous benefits, but only if we address their potential consequences and harms,” NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said in a statement. “For these systems to reach their full potential, companies and consumers need to be able to trust them.”
The White House also released an “AI Bill of Rights” in December that asked AI developers to consider several priorities and guardrails. This includes ensuring information collected by AI products is not misused, designers account for algorithmic bias concerning race or gender, all data collected are protected with appropriate privacy measures, and users know when algorithms affect their experience.