A bipartisan working group led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York released a long-awaited artificial intelligence (AI) guidance framework on Wednesday.
The AI Roadmap encourages allocating at least $32 billion to non-defense AI innovation, but downplays calls for specific regulation as part of the published guidance.
The 31-page document says Schumer has invited experts and stakeholders, including tech CEOs, civil rights leaders and researchers, to discuss the benefits and risks of AI with senators. The announcement comes after months of private AI Insights forums. Schumer worked with Sens. Mike Rounds (RS.D.), Martin Heinrich (D.M.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) to put together the AI guidance.
One of the guidance's most immediate details, the proposed $32 billion in funding through 2026, is based on spending levels proposed by the National Security Council on Artificial Intelligence. The recommended funding goals are intended to foster U.S. AI innovation to maintain global competitiveness.
But the roadmap appears to sidestep calls for new laws to regulate AI, as some lawmakers and advocates have called for. The roadmap's priorities include ensuring enforcement of existing laws on AI and encouraging parliamentary committees to consider new laws.
“Our working group engages with advocates, critics, academics, labor organizations, civil rights leaders, stakeholders, developers and others to develop key policy policies that have bipartisan agreement. We have identified the areas, and work continues with the Committee, Chairs, and Ranking Members to develop and advance the bill with urgency and humility,” Schumer said in a statement. Ta.
The roadmap states that the AI Working Group “supports strong and comprehensive federal data privacy laws to protect personal information.” In April, the House and Senate Commerce Committee chairs announced a new bipartisan data privacy proposal, the American Privacy Rights Act of 2024.
Schumer highlighted election risk as a top priority for addressing AI concerns. However, this roadmap provides a concise summary of guidelines regarding elections and democracy. The guidance “encourages relevant commissions, AI developers and adopters to promote effective watermarking and proof of digital content provenance related to AI-generated or AI-enhanced election content. ”
On Wednesday morning, the Senate Rules Committee is considering three AI bills, including two on AI transparency and regulation of election materials.
Tech companies continue to accelerate AI updates as Congress continues to consider regulations.
In back-to-back live announcements on Monday and Tuesday, Google and OpenAI announced updates to their respective generative AI tools, Gemini and ChatGPT.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.