U.S. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has called for comprehensive legislation regarding safety measures for artificial intelligence (AI). He plans to urge Congress to take urgent bipartisan action on the issue and highlight the need for a strategy that encourages safe innovation. During a meeting at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C., Schumer will pose questions about how much federal intervention should be involved with tax and spending and whether it is even necessary at all.
Schumer recognizes the potential difficulties in creating legislation for every single issue that may arise with the emergence of AI. He emphasizes the importance of public trust in safe innovation and believes that stifling AI’s development can occur if people do not feel comfortable with it. This comes one day after U.S. President Joe Biden met with experts from Silicon Valley to discuss the White House’s commitment to “seizing opportunities and managing risks” of AI, including citizens’ rights and privacy, addressing biases, and misinformation.
Lawmakers across the U.S. are actively considering regulations for AI. On the same day that Biden met with Silicon Valley experts, a bipartisan group of lawmakers proposed a new bill for the creation of a commission to study the country’s approach to the technology. Schumer’s call for comprehensive AI legislation indicates the growing concern over the impact of AI systems on society and the need for proactive regulatory measures.