As Congress returns from its summer break this week, they will be looking for solutions to urgent problems regarding the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence.
On Wednesday at the Capitol, Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, will hold an exclusive “AI Insight Forum”. Among the guests are a number of well-known figures in the technology industry, including Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Elon Musk, founder of Tesla.
Although the press and general public are not permitted to attend, a list published by Axios in August gave readers a good idea of how extensive the event would be. Tech CEOs are well-represented, but the MIT Technology Review noted a noticeable absence of speakers from groups looking at ethical issues surrounding the development and use of AI.
The first in a planned series of “listening sessions” on AI concerns and potential laws to address them will take place on Wednesday.
It’s going to be one of the most significant sessions that Congress has ever had, Schumer declared in a speech this summer.
Along with weighing the hazards and potential benefits of AI, one issue for politicians is that tech firms don’t always share the same viewpoints. For instance, while Google and IBM may differ, Microsoft and OpenAI may both feel that a single agency should be in charge of regulating the government.
Legislators will arrive at the private meeting on Wednesday with their own priorities.
According to Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., AI innovations won’t necessarily come from the likes of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg; rather, they’re more likely to come from the individuals who buy the technology from the creators of the technology.
In upcoming meetings, Schumer also intends to hear from labor, human rights, and intellectual groups about the possible effects of AI on society.
Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Speaker from California, has questioned whether Schumer is the best candidate to lead these initiatives.
McCarthy revealed in an earlier this year interview that Schumer uses a flip phone. he is not sure if a man using a flip phone and not even knowing how to operate a smartphone should be discussing his work in artificial intelligence.
