- Capitol Hill is not known for being tech-savvy, but during a recent Senate hearing on AI regulation, legislators showed surprising knowledge and understanding of the topic.
- Senator Richard Blumenthal asked about setting safety breaks on AutoGPT, an AI agent that can carry out complex tasks, to ensure its responsible use.
- Senator Josh Hawley raised concerns about the working conditions of Kenyan workers involved in building safety filters for OpenAI's models.
- The hearing featured testimonies from Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, Stuart Russell, a computer science professor, and Yoshua Bengio, a professor at Université de Montréal.
- This indicates a growing awareness and interest among lawmakers in understanding and regulating AI technology.
Main topic: Public opinion on slowing down AI development
Key points:
1. 72 percent of American voters want to slow down AI development.
2. 82 percent of American voters don't trust AI companies to self-regulate.
3. There is strong public support for thorough AI regulation and requiring proof of AI-generated images and safety of advanced AI models.
### Summary
President Joe Biden consults with Arati Prabhakar, his science adviser, on matters related to artificial intelligence (AI). Prabhakar is working with major tech companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta to shape the U.S. approach to safeguarding AI technology.
### Facts
- 🤖 Prabhakar has had several discussions with President Biden on artificial intelligence.
- 📚 Making AI models explainable is a priority for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, but it is technically challenging.
- 💡 Prabhakar believes that despite the opacity of deep-learning AI systems, we can learn enough about their safety and effectiveness to leverage their value.
- ⚠️ Concerns include chatbots being coerced into providing instructions for building weapons, biases in AI systems trained on human data, wrongful arrests from facial recognition systems, and privacy issues.
- 💼 Seven companies, including Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, voluntarily committed to AI safety standards, but more companies need to step up, and government action is necessary.
- ⏰ Timeline for future actions is fast, according to Prabhakar, as President Biden has made it clear that AI is an urgent issue.
President Joe Biden relies on his science adviser Arati Prabhakar to guide the US approach to safeguarding AI technology, with cooperation from tech giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta. Prabhakar discusses the need for understanding the implications and consequences of AI, the challenge of making AI models explainable, concerns about biases and privacy, and the importance of voluntary commitments from tech companies along with government actions.
A new poll conducted by the AI Policy Institute reveals that 72 percent of American voters want to slow down the development of AI, signaling a divergence between elite opinion and public opinion on the technology. Additionally, the poll shows that 82 percent of American voters do not trust AI companies to self-regulate. To address these concerns, the AI Now Institute has proposed a framework called "Zero Trust AI Governance," which calls for lawmakers to vigorously enforce existing laws, establish bold and easily administrable rules, and place the burden of proof on companies to demonstrate the safety of their AI systems.
AI-generated inventions need to be allowed patent protection to encourage innovation and maximize social benefits, as current laws hinder progress in biomedicine; jurisdictions around the world have differing approaches to patenting AI-generated inventions, and the US falls behind in this area, highlighting the need for legislative action.
The U.S. is falling behind in regulating artificial intelligence (AI), while Europe has passed the world's first comprehensive AI law; President Joe Biden recently met with industry leaders to discuss the need for AI regulation and companies pledged to develop safeguards for AI-generated content and prioritize user privacy.
School districts are shifting from banning artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms to embracing it, implementing rules and training teachers on how to incorporate AI into daily learning due to the recognition that harnessing the emerging technology is more beneficial than trying to avoid it.
Salesforce has released an AI Acceptable Use Policy that outlines the restrictions on the use of its generative AI products, including prohibiting their use for weapons development, adult content, profiling based on protected characteristics, medical or legal advice, and more. The policy emphasizes the need for responsible innovation and sets clear ethical guidelines for the use of AI.
In his book, Tom Kemp argues for the need to regulate AI and suggests measures such as AI impact assessments, AI certifications, codes of conduct, and industry standards to protect consumers and ensure AI's positive impact on society.
The increasing investment in generative AI and its disruptive impact on various industries has brought the need for regulation to the forefront, with technologists and regulators recognizing the importance of ensuring safer technological applications, but differing on the scope of regulation needed. However, it is argued that existing frameworks and standards, similar to those applied to the internet, can be adapted to regulate AI and protect consumer interests without stifling innovation.
The UK government has been urged to introduce new legislation to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in order to keep up with the European Union (EU) and the United States, as the EU advances with the AI Act and US policymakers publish frameworks for AI regulations. The government's current regulatory approach risks lagging behind the fast pace of AI development, according to a report by the science, innovation, and technology committee. The report highlights 12 governance challenges, including bias in AI systems and the production of deepfake material, that need to be addressed in order to guide the upcoming global AI safety summit at Bletchley Park.
The rapid advancement of AI technology poses significant challenges for democratic societies, including the need for nuanced debates, public engagement, and ethical considerations in regulating AI to mitigate unintended consequences.
Attorneys general from all 50 states have called on Congress to establish protective measures against AI-generated child sexual abuse images and expand existing restrictions on such materials. They argue that the government needs to act quickly to prevent the potentially harmful use of AI technology in creating child exploitation material.
Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Inflection AI, argues that restricting the sale of AI technologies and appointing a cabinet-level regulator are necessary steps to combat the negative effects of artificial intelligence and prevent misuse.
The infiltration of artificial intelligence into children's lives is causing anxiety and sparking fears about the perversion of children's culture, as AI tools create unsettling and twisted representations of childhood innocence. This trend continues a long history of cultural anxieties about dangerous interactions between children and technology, with films like M3GAN and Frankenstein depicting the dangers of AI. While there is a need to address children's use and understanding of AI, it is important not to succumb to moral panics and instead focus on promoting responsible AI use and protecting children's rights.
The Supreme Court's "major questions doctrine" could hinder the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) by expert agencies, potentially freezing investments and depriving funding from AI platforms that adhere to higher standards, creating uncertainty and hindering progress in the field.
Concerns about artificial intelligence and democracy are assessed, with fears over AI's potential to undermine democracy explored, including the threat posed by Chinese misinformation campaigns and the call for AI regulation by Senator Josh Hawley.
Two senators, Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley, have proposed a bipartisan blueprint for AI legislation that includes mandatory licensing for AI firms and rejects the idea that technology liability protections would shield companies from legal actions.
AI has the potential to fundamentally change governments and society, with AI-powered companies and individuals usurping traditional institutions and creating a new world order, warns economist Samuel Hammond. Traditional governments may struggle to regulate AI and keep pace with its advancements, potentially leading to a loss of global power for these governments.
Eight new technology companies, including Adobe, IBM, Nvidia, Palantir, and Salesforce, have made voluntary commitments on artificial intelligence (AI) to drive safe and secure development while working towards comprehensive regulation, according to a senior Biden administration official. The commitments include outside testing of AI systems, cybersecurity measures, information sharing, research on societal risks, and addressing society's challenges. The White House is partnering with the private sector to harness the benefits of AI while managing the risks.
A bipartisan group of senators is expected to introduce legislation to create a government agency to regulate AI and require AI models to obtain a license before deployment, a move that some leading technology companies have supported; however, critics argue that licensing regimes and a new AI regulator could hinder innovation and concentrate power among existing players, similar to the undesirable economic consequences seen in Europe.
Governments worldwide are grappling with the challenge of regulating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, as countries like Australia, Britain, China, the European Union, France, G7 nations, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Nations, and the United States take steps to establish regulations and guidelines for AI usage.
A new poll reveals that 63% of American voters believe regulation should actively prevent the development of superintelligent AI, challenging the assumption that artificial general intelligence (AGI) should exist. The public is increasingly questioning the potential risks and costs associated with AGI, highlighting the need for democratic input and oversight in the development of transformative technologies.
While many experts are concerned about the existential risks posed by AI, Mustafa Suleyman, cofounder of DeepMind, believes that the focus should be on more practical issues like regulation, privacy, bias, and online moderation. He is confident that governments can effectively regulate AI by applying successful frameworks from past technologies, although critics argue that current internet regulations are flawed and insufficiently hold big tech companies accountable. Suleyman emphasizes the importance of limiting AI's ability to improve itself and establishing clear boundaries and oversight to ensure enforceable laws. Several governments, including the European Union and China, are already working on AI regulations.
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales believes that regulating artificial intelligence (AI) is not feasible and compares the idea to "magical thinking," stating that many politicians lack a strong understanding of AI and its potential. While the UN is establishing a panel to investigate global regulation of AI, some experts, including physicist Reinhard Scholl, emphasize the need for regulation to prevent the misuse of AI by bad actors, while others, like Robert Opp, suggest forming a regulatory body similar to the International Civil Aviation Organisation. However, Wales argues that regulating individual developers using freely available AI software is impractical.
The U.S. government must establish regulations and enforce standards to ensure the safety and security of artificial intelligence (AI) development, including requiring developers to demonstrate the safety of their systems before deployment, according to Anthony Aguirre, the executive director and secretary of the board at the Future of Life Institute.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong argues that AI should not be regulated and instead advocates for decentralization and open-sourcing as a means to foster innovation and competition in the space.
New York City public schools are planning to implement artificial intelligence technology to educate students, but critics are concerned that it could promote left-wing political bias and indoctrination. Some argue that AI tools like ChatGPT have a liberal slant and should not be relied upon for information gathering. The Department of Education is partnering with Microsoft to provide AI-powered teaching assistants, but there are calls for clear regulations and teacher training to prevent misuse and protect privacy.
The debate over whether government-imposed limits on AI computation would implicate the First Amendment arises as artists and creators are starting to explore the potential of AI in their work, and the question of whether there is a First Amendment right to compute becomes increasingly relevant in the context of expressive content generated by AI.
Sen. Mark Warner, a U.S. Senator from Virginia, is urging Congress to take a less ambitious approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI), suggesting that lawmakers should focus on narrowly focused issues rather than trying to address the full spectrum of AI risks with a single comprehensive law. Warner believes that tackling immediate concerns, such as AI-generated deepfakes, is a more realistic and effective approach to regulation. He also emphasizes the need for bipartisan agreement and action to demonstrate progress in the regulation of AI, especially given Congress's previous failures in addressing issues related to social media.
Minnesota Democrats are calling for regulations on artificial intelligence (AI) in elections, expressing concerns about the potential for AI to deceive and manipulate voters, while also acknowledging its potential benefits for efficiency and productivity in election administration.
AI leaders including Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft president Brad Smith, and OpenAI's Sam Altman are supporting AI regulation to ensure investment security, unified rules, and a role in shaping legislation, as regulations also benefit consumers by ensuring safety, cracking down on scams and discrimination, and eliminating bias.
Artificial intelligence (AI) will surpass human intelligence and could manipulate people, according to AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, who quit his role at Google to raise awareness about the risks of AI and advocate for regulations. Hinton also expressed concerns about AI's impact on the labor market and its potential militaristic uses, and called for governments to commit to not building battlefield robots. Global efforts are underway to regulate AI, with the U.K. hosting a global AI summit and the U.S. crafting an AI Bill of Rights.
Democratic lawmakers have urged President Biden to turn non-binding safeguards on artificial intelligence (AI) into policy through an executive order, using the AI Bill of Rights as a guide to set in place comprehensive AI policy across the federal government.
A coalition of Democrats is urging President Biden to turn non-binding safeguards on artificial intelligence (AI) into policy through an executive order, using the "AI Bill of Rights" as a guide.
AI technology has advanced rapidly, bringing both positive and negative consequences such as improved accuracy and potential risks to the economy, national security, and various industries, requiring government regulation and ethical considerations to prevent misuse and protect human values.
AI tools have the potential to both enhance and hinder internet freedom, as they can be used for censorship and propaganda by autocratic regimes, but also for evading restrictions and combating disinformation. Countries should establish frameworks for AI tool creators that prioritize civil liberties, transparency, and safeguards against discrimination and surveillance. Democratic leaders need to seize the opportunity to ensure that AI technology is used to enhance freedom rather than curtail it.
Powerful AI systems pose threats to social stability, and experts are calling for AI companies to be held accountable for the harms caused by their products, urging governments to enforce regulations and safety measures.
Concerns about job loss and the potential for fraud are driving the need for legislation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence, according to entrepreneur Milan Kordestani, who is involved in AI startups and is the author of "The Civil Conversations on AI Tour: From Economic Disruption to Social Stability." Kordestani believes that Congress should identify at-risk industries and individuals and provide support and funding for transition and retraining. Additionally, he stressed the importance of government regulation to mitigate the biases of early AI systems and to ensure technical literacy for all Americans.
A group of 24 AI experts, including Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, have published an open letter calling for stronger regulation and safeguards for AI technology to prevent potential harm to society and individuals from autonomous AI systems, emphasizing the need for caution and ethical objectives in AI development. They argue that without proper regulation, AI could amplify social injustice and weaken societal foundations. The authors also urge companies to allocate a third of their R&D budgets to safety and advocate for government regulations such as model registration and AI system evaluation.
Lawmakers in Indiana are discussing the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), with experts advocating for a balanced approach that fosters business growth while protecting privacy and data.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer highlights bipartisan support for artificial intelligence (AI) regulation as he convenes the Senate's AI Insight Forum, with talks focused on the government's leadership in AI regulation and the allocation of substantial resources to the task, including a minimum of $32 billion.
President Biden is expected to issue an executive order regulating artificial intelligence, focusing on protecting vulnerable populations, addressing biases, ensuring fairness, and establishing trust and safety in AI systems, while some express concerns about potential negative impacts on innovation and free speech.