A pivotal step was taken in the United States Congress on June 20 when a group of bipartisan lawmakers broke new ground, introducing a bill to establish a commission specifically focused on the nation's Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry.
Representatives Ted Lieu, Ken Buck and Anna Eshoo emerged at the forefront of this initiative, spearheading the National AI Commission Act.
The bill's goal? To create a comprehensive regulatory framework for AI that tackles potential risks, while responding to the clarion calls for stricter scrutiny from European Union consumer protection groups and other international bodies.
Minimising potential harm
The lawmakers have set their sights firmly on minimising potential harm arising from unregulated AI technology.
Representative Ted Lieu's comments underscored the urgency of this mission, bringing the importance of rigorous AI regulation into sharp focus.
Endorsing the proposed National AI Commission, Merve Hickok, president of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, stressed the timeliness and critical nature of the move.
She envisioned the bill as a catalyst for essential AI regulations and a conduit for public engagement in shaping the nation's AI strategy, noting past concerns about the US's readiness to meet future AI challenges head-on.
Hickok hailed the proposal as a positive stride forward and applauded the lawmakers for their proactive approach.
The introduction of this bill aligns with the expressed concerns of tech industry titans. Figures like Elon Musk have long voiced the urgency of regulating AI's pace of advancement.
Along the same lines, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and the mind behind ChatGPT, has been candid about the pressing need for effective regulation in the AI industry.