Chuck Schumer: The US Senate Will Soon Present A Framework To Regulate Artificial Intelligence

JAKARTA - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday 8 May that he would present a framework to address the risks and potential benefits of artificial intelligence in the coming weeks, which would then be translated into legislation in stages.

The administration of US President Joe Biden and policymakers, concerned about how artificial intelligence could affect elections or influence Americans, has pushed for artificial intelligence regulation, but the politicized US Congress has made little progress. Europe is ahead, where policymakers there design artificial intelligence rules.

The roadmap, Schumer said, will be based on expert input and discuss reduced' issues arising from artificial intelligence, ranging from its impact on intellectual property and labor rights to health problems and "disaster scenarios."

"In this roadmap, which will come out in the coming weeks, you'll see there are many good guidelines and ideas about how Congress should proceed," he said, in an interview at an artificial intelligence peak in Washington. "But you'll see different committees taking a role and translating it, signing it, becoming a law," he added.

US officials have warned that artificial intelligence could increase the risk of bias and facilitate election interference through deep fakes. They are also worried that a powerful AI model in the hands of bad actors could be used to help create bioweapons or launch powerful cyberattacks, with special concerns about China.

"If we do nothing, China is with completely different systems - their artificial intelligence is interested in things like facial recognition and surveillance and things like that - they can outperform us," Schumer added, while also highlighting the potential artificial intelligence to have a negative impact on elections.

Schumer said policymakers would take a gradual approach to these issues. "Some committees are slightly more advanced than others. We will not wait to have a comprehensive big plan that touches everything," he said.