How is the US government trying to regulate the development of artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence has been around for decades, but recent explosive developments in the use of generative AI like ChatGPT have raised major concerns about the potential repercussions of these technologies. Considering the consequences, the regulation of artificial intelligence has been a recurring theme among legislators and the government. Hearings and press conferences have been held in Congress on the subject, while the White House announced security commitments from technology companies. Last Friday, President Joe Biden met with seven leading artificial intelligence companies, including Amazon, Google and Meta, which have committed to voluntary standards to manage the risks associated with the emerging technology.

Is there any legislation regarding artificial intelligence in the US?

The United States is only at the beginning of what is likely to be a long and difficult road to regulating artificial intelligence. While there have been hearings, meetings with technology companies and speeches to introduce bills, it is too early to predict how AI will be regulated and how consumers will be protected.

In recent years, the United States has passed some legislation related to artificial intelligence, such as the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 and the AI in Government Act of 2020. The US government has also implemented guidelines known as The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which promotes non-binding principles for government and industry use of AI. Despite these efforts, there is still no comprehensive federal legislation on artificial intelligence that takes into account and addresses recent concerns about the dangers posed by the technology.

Efforts to regulate AI in Congress

In addition to the hearings, some senators have introduced two bipartisan bills that hope to address some unique needs that have arisen due to the rise of AI. One calls for government offices to inform people when they are using artificial intelligence to interact with them.

The other measure focuses on ensuring that the US stays ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to AI development. Legislators have yet to introduce a comprehensive proposal that would set guidelines for managing how tech companies develop generative AI products. Even if a bill were already drafted and proposed, it would likely take months before the legislation is passed and signed into law.