However, the report does not suggest any budget numbers and is not expected to spur actual legislation, especially during an election year. The AI industry's rapid pace of development also raises questions about the relevance of these proposals by the time they are acted upon. The report serves more as a general guideline for future AI policy and legislation.
Key takeaways:
- A Senate working group has recommended a yearly federal funding of $32 billion for AI, covering various areas from infrastructure to national security risk assessments.
- The policy recommendation is not a bill or detailed policy proposal, but gives an idea of the scale lawmakers and stakeholders are considering for future AI development.
- The working group identifies key areas of investment to keep the U.S. competitive with its rivals abroad, including a cross-government AI R&D effort, funding American AI hardware and software work, and expanding the National AI Research Resource.
- The report also suggests looking into the regulatory gap in finance and housing where AI-driven processes can marginalize vulnerable groups, and establishing a coherent approach to public-facing transparency requirements for AI systems.