Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are on the cutting of technological innovations and will continue to dominate that landscape for the foreseeable future. Both will be capable of replacing humans on some level and probably already are.
ChatGPT has been in the headlines for a while now and their platforms are able to create stories or write articles and so much more. They are not the only ones with this potential. With great technological advancements comes the possibility of great harm to our society at large. Therefore, congress has decided to act now rather than later. I believe that is a good thing.
Let’s see how the Global Technology Act, ASSESS AI Act, and the Global Technology Leadership Act might do that. The following is a very brief explanation of what each of those Acts is about. To learn more please click on the references below.
The Global Technology Act creates an office that determines how competitive we are compared to other countries in the tech sector, especially with regard to AI and ML. They have decided to call that office the Office of Global Competition Analysis. Staffing that office is experts from the intelligence industry along with agencies that use private-sector data and intel, and the Pentagon.
Below is taken directly from Congress regarding this bill. (January 2023)
The ASSESS AI Act was devised on April 28th, 2023. In essence, it constructs a cabinet-level AI Task Force. They will look at our existing policies and ferret out any gaps or loopholes in them and make recommendations regarding AI and ML that respect our civil liberties and rights, ensure due process is served, and protect our right to privacy. They may also set standards for the use of data protection and procurement in the private and public sectors, and establish protocols for risk assessments, and facial and other biometric recognition/identification.
Revisions to the above Bills have come about on the 8th of June 2023. The new portion is the Global Technology Leadership Act. It builds upon its predecessor. This Bill was introduced by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Michael Bennett (D-CO). They would conduct their work in the same office as those from the Global Technology Act and perform the same jobs.
Senator Bennet said “We cannot afford to lose our competitive edge in strategic technologies like semiconductors, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence to competitors like China. – To defend our economic and national security and protect U.S. leadership in critical emerging technologies, we need to be able to take into account both classified and commercial information to assess where we stand. With that information, Congress can make smart decisions about where to invest and how to strengthen our competitiveness.”
The Office of Global Competition Analysis is tasked with strengthening our global competitiveness, as well as, informing our policymakers on gaps and trends in this sector, and bolstering our leadership capabilities regarding strategic innovation. D-NY Chuck Schumer said that we need to outcompete China and be better prepared for our AI/ML future. (paraphrase) Furthermore, Schumer said that over the summer Congress intends to conduct specific AI/ML briefings on a regular basis. The basis for this is to be aware of the potential abuse from our adversaries regarding the use of AI/ML and to educate the bi-partisan caucus on AI/ML.
These Acts are not the end of what Congress intends to do, but instead set the stage for what is yet to come. For instance, the construct of an AI Bill of Rights and NISTs AI Risk Management. Stay tuned.
Resources:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/206/text
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ai-bill-of-rights/
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