Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., chairman of the House’s AI Task Force, is also a resource for lawmakers with questions about AI. Congress has created offices and relies on staff with specific expertise on subject topics, including technology, to provide resources and specialized input. The focus of AI regulation should be on “mitigating potential harm,” according to Obernolte, who is optimistic that bipartisan solutions can be found to prevent the worst AI risks.
Key takeaways:
- Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, is pursuing a master’s degree in machine learning at George Mason University to better understand and regulate artificial intelligence (AI).
- Members of Congress are making efforts to educate themselves about AI as they consider laws that would shape its development, balancing its potential benefits and risks.
- Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., chairman of the House’s AI Task Force, is one of the lawmakers with a background in AI and he has been impressed with how seriously his colleagues are taking their responsibility to understand AI.
- Rep. Anna Eshoo, the Democratic chairwoman of the AI Caucus, recently introduced legislation that would require tech companies and social media platforms to identify and label AI-generated deepfakes to ensure the public isn’t misled.