Legislators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Create Artificial Intelligence Commission

Legislators in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives introduced legislation that calls for the creation of a federal advisory commission to study artificial intelligence issues.

The legislation, called the Fundamentally Understanding the Usability and Realistic Evolution of Artificial Intelligence (FUTURE of AI) Act, proposed the creation of a commission comprised of members from federal agencies, industry, academia and labor organizations to advise the government on how to regulate and prepare for advancements in AI.

Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D­ – Los Angeles County), Rep. John Delaney (D–MD) and Rep. Pete Olson (R–TX) introduced the House version of the bill, H.R. 4625. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Todd Young (R-IN) and Ed Markey (D-MA).

The FUTURE of AI Act names the Department of Commerce responsible for leading government policy on artificial intelligence and directs the Department to create an advisory committee tasked with submitting recommendations within 18 months on how the government and business can work together to address concerns in four key areas:

• Potential growth, restructuring, and other changes for the U.S. workforce that result from adoption of AI, including potential actions to train and skill workers for an AI workplace
• Protecting the privacy rights of individuals as AI continues to grow
• Promoting a climate of innovation to ensure global competitiveness for American companies developing AI technologies
• Supporting the development and application of unbiased AI

"Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the future of nearly every major industry. With thoughtful investment, American ingenuity in AI can transform our economy and help the United States remain the global standard-bearer of innovation. As a leader in this space, the U.S. is responsible for determining how to deploy these new technologies safely and wisely—especially considering the potential economic, legal and ethical implications of AI,” Rep. Lieu said in a statement.

Rep. Pete Olson said in a statement, “Artificial Intelligence has the power to truly transform our society, and as policymakers, we must be forward thinking about its applications. The AI Advisory committee will help ensure that the federal government enables growth and advancement in this exciting field, while empowering Congress to address potential AI issues going forward.”