Artificial intelligence is the hottest topic in Congress. It’s been the rage since its popular explosion this spring, but that came to a head this week with many events focused on the topic. These included hearings in both the House of Representatives and Senate as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) first AI forum. The list of attendees for Schumer’s event speaks to both the ubiquity of AI and the importance that Congress will have in shaping the technology’s future in the U.S.
Congress’ focus on the topic begs the question of what AI-related legislation can realistically get done. There is no shortage of proposals, with a framework from Schumer released in June and another from Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) this week. Both are intended to lead to comprehensive AI legislation rather than focusing on specific AI applications or issues. The resulting legislation, drafts of which have yet to be published, will be sprawling and could prove more difficult to pass than more targeted bills.
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