The meeting comes amid a global push to regulate AI, with the EU expected to finalize its AI Act this year and China having already released rules for generative AI. However, the US Congress has been slow to pass comprehensive laws on data privacy, social media, or antitrust. The forum will be largely private to allow for candid conversation and limit grandstanding. Some executives plan to advocate for a new government agency to regulate AI, but this idea has faced opposition. The event has also drawn criticism for initially not including any women, civil rights leaders, or AI researchers in the guest list.
Key takeaways:
- Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer is hosting the AI Insight Forum, a meeting with top tech executives, civil rights leaders, labor chiefs, and researchers to discuss the future of artificial intelligence (AI).
- The forum aims to identify the government's role in AI and is part of Schumer's plan to respond to recent AI advances and craft legislation to address AI risks while harnessing its benefits.
- Despite growing concerns and calls for regulation, the U.S. Congress is lagging behind other governments in charting a regulatory path for AI. The European Union and China have already made significant strides in this area.
- The meeting will be largely private to allow for more candid conversation and limit grandstanding common at high-profile public hearings. Schumer and his bipartisan AI working group are expected to brief the public on what they learn after the meeting.