The event also highlighted the close ties between academia and industry, with speakers from Google, Meta, and Anthropic discussing the role of industry in shaping AI policy. Despite the academic focus, the boot camp was primarily funded by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, with HAI's director of policy, Russell Wald, stating that his division does not take corporate funding. The event is part of a broader effort to educate Congress about AI, as legislators work to craft regulations around the fast-evolving technology.
Key takeaways:
- Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI) hosted a boot camp to educate D.C. policy analysts, lawyers, and chiefs of staff about the benefits and risks of AI technology.
- The boot camp, which began in 2014 with a focus on cybersecurity, pivoted exclusively to AI last year. The curriculum covered AI’s potential to reshape education and health care, a primer on deepfakes, and a crisis simulation where participants had to use AI to respond to a national security threat.
- Despite being an academic event, the camp was closely tied to the industry with speakers from Google, Meta, and Anthropic. The cost of the boot camp was primarily paid for by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
- There is little consensus among experts about the limitations and social impact of the latest AI models. Tech companies, billionaire tech philanthropists, and other special interest groups are trying to shape federal policies and priorities by shifting the way lawmakers understand AI’s true potential.