WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group will introduce legislation in Washington on Thursday to manage the rise of artificial Intelligence and its use by U.S. enemies.
The bill is a response to Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer’s pledge that AI will be a top priority for the upcoming Congress. Members of both parties have AI and Big Tech in particular on their radar.
According to the bill text exclusively shared with NBC News, the Global Technology Leadership Act will establish an office to analyze how competitive our country is when it comes to critical technologies such as AI in comparison to competitors like China. The Office of Global Competition Analysis, a federal entity that would be comprised of experts from the Pentagon, the Intelligence Community and other relevant agencies who use commercial and intel data to make assessments. The summary of the bill notes that, “although the Department of Defense assesses how our aircraft, battleships and tanks compare with other nations, there’s no similar process for critical technologies like AI.”
The authors of the legislation argue that creating this office will boost American competitiveness, educate policymakers and enhance U.S. leadership on strategic innovation.
In an interview with NBC News, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said: “There’s no one — and I can say this absolutely — in the federal government or in the United States of America who can tell you how we compare to China on critical technologies such as AI.”
He added: “The goal is to ensure that we are able to evaluate our technological leadership in comparison to other countries, and to inform the appropriate response to policy so that we are not caught off guard again like we were with 5G.”
Bennet, along with co-sponsors from both parties, is the leader of this bill. Todd Young, R.-Ind. and Mark Warner, D.-Va. Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, is responsible for the new legislation. It was introduced at a time when Schumer publicly stated that preparing to compete with the Chinese government and preparing for an AI-defined future are his two top priorities in 2018.
Schumer sent Young and Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), outlining the three AI briefings for senators only that will be held over the summer. Schumer stated that the last briefing, which will focus on the use of AI by adversaries, would be the first classified all senators AI briefing.
The leader told the Senate this week: “I urge my colleagues to attend the briefings, because we won’t have long until we see AI’s dramatic change in the workplace and classrooms, as well as in our homes, living rooms, and virtually all corners of our lives.” It’s already happening. “We must be prepared.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose company developed ChatGPT, has also met with members of Congress and a href=”https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-lawmakers-host bipartisan dinner-openai’s sam altman rcna83725″ target=”_blank”>testimoniated last month/a> before the Senate Judiciary Committee. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman whose company created ChatGPT has also met with members in Congress, and last month appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Bennet said to NBC News that his team has spoken with Schumer’s staff about his Global Technology Leadership Act, and that the Colorado Democrat thinks his bill “has a chance.”
Bennet, speaking of Schumer, said: “I’m really excited about his efforts to legislate our competition with China in this year.” Bennet said that Schumer’s work to educate his caucus about AI is separate but related. All these things, I believe, are well-suited to each other, and I hope and expect that, if we pass legislation in the direction that Senator Schumer has suggested that we will be moving, this would become a core part of our efforts.
According to a source who was present at the meeting, Schumer also met in the past with Rounds, Young and Heinrich about the emerging bipartisan group focusing on comprehensive AI legislation.
Bennet stated that AI and the competition with China were issues that could be supported by both parties.
Bennet said, “I believe there is a high probability of success” when asked to predict whether his legislation would become law.
