As the world advances towards artificial intelligence (AI) integration, the pressing need for regulatory measures has caught the attention of global governing bodies. US Congress is ready to take action following the introduction of strong UK AI laws last week. A bipartisan bill, H.R.4223, has been put forth by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), and Ken Buck (R-Colo.) that aims to create a federal commission on AI.
This proposed legislation calls for Congress and the White House to form a 20-member “blue-ribbon commission” that brings together representatives from the government, industry, civil society, and computer science fields. Their primary objective is to develop a comprehensive regulatory strategy for AI technologies. While embracing the potential of AI, concerns about its downsides and potential harms warrant swift action.
The commission’s task is to produce three reports for policymakers over a two-year period. Contents of the reports should include recommendations for mitigating risks and potential harms posed by AI, while simultaneously ensuring that US technological innovation remains intact. There are also provisions set for interim congressional action in specific areas, particularly those involving national security.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the European Union (EU) is diligently working on its AI legislation, developing a regulation to establish a European Artificial Intelligence Board. This board’s purpose is to provide guidance to national authorities and work towards uniform application across EU countries.
Prominent AI player OpenAI has been actively lobbying in the US and other countries, advocating for its perspectives in AI rule-making. OpenAI stresses that AI’s potential disruption in various fields, from arts and medicine to architecture, necessitates these legislative movements.
Despite the introduction of multiple bills aimed at setting privacy guardrails and requiring companies to vet their algorithms for biases, few have passed. However, the recent surge in AI interest and the rising popularity of AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard have revitalized legislative efforts.
As AI regulation moves forward, the essential question of “Who watches the watchmen?” emerges. The critical challenge lies in ensuring that lawmakers shaping AI policies maintain impartiality and don’t infuse their own biases into the emerging technology. Developing a fair and effective AI legislative framework will require an honest assessment of this challenge and the commitment of all involved parties to address it.
Source: Decrypt
