As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to experience rapid growth, governments around the world have started to consider modifying policies and regulations around the technology, US Senators yesterday introduced two separate bipartisan bills addressing AI to tackle issues surrounding the technology and to remain “competitive”, according to Reuters.
One bill would require the US government to be transparent when using AI when interacting with people.
The other bill would establish an office to determine whether the US was competitive in the latest technologies. Additionally, the proposed bill would mandate agencies to create a way to enable people to lodge appeals against decisions made by AI.
Reaching solutions
Homeland Security committee chair, Democrat Senators Gary Peters along with Republicans – Senators Mike Braun and James Lankford, introduced a bill that would require US government agencies to tell individuals when the agency is using AI to interact with them.
Senator Mike Braun said, “The federal government needs to be proactive and transparent with AI utilization and ensure that decisions aren’t being made without humans in the driver’s seat.”
Democrat Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Warner further introduced a measure along with Republican Senator Todd Young.
Under the new measure, an Office of Global Competition Analysis would be established through which the agency would ensure that the US remained front and center in developing artificial intelligence.
“We cannot afford to lose our competitive edge in strategic technologies like semiconductors, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence to competitors like China,” Michael Bennet said.
Meanwhile, the UK has joined the race to propose regulatory solutions for AI technology. The UK is set to host a global summit on artificial intelligence safety later this year.
Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Thursday at a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden that the two countries would work together on AI safety.
Industrial insight
With ChatGPT, an AI program frequently making headlines this year, lawmakers around the world have had to address issues regarding the use of such technology.
Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed a Senate panel saying that he is willing to work with regulators and develop frameworks to reduce potential harm from AI.
“I think we also need rules, guidelines, on what’s expected in terms of disclosure from a company providing a model,” he said. “I am nervous about it”, he added.
Altman’s testimony was one of many at the Senate as the White House invited top technology CEOs to address AI concerns with U.S. lawmakers seeking to further the technology’s advantages, while limiting its misuse.
Altman’s warnings about AI and elections come at a time when companies large and small have been competing to bring AI to market, with billions of dollars at play. But experts everywhere have warned that the technology may worsen societal harms such as prejudice and misinformation.
Some have even gone so far as to speculate AI could end humanity itself.
