Award recognizes leadership advancing AI safeguards in Congress
On Thursday, Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) announced its list of 2024 Responsible AI Champions, recognizing lawmakers who’ve displayed leadership in advancing AI safeguards in Congress this year. The bipartisan list includes lawmakers from both the House and the Senate, all of whom have spearheaded bipartisan legislation to mitigate AI risks, support U.S. leadership in tech, and address AI’s harms. This year’s 2024 Responsible AI Champions include: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA).
“When advanced AI gets into the wrong hands or when it’s misused, that creates new risks for our national security and for consumers,” said Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) President Brad Carson. “The lawmakers we’re recognizing today are working to tackle AI risks while building access to the new opportunities AI creates. Passing new AI safeguards is going to take bipartisan support, and that’s exactly how these lawmakers have approached the issue.”
SEN. MARIA CANTWELL
Sen. Cantwell this year introduced the Future of AI Innovation Act (S. 4178), legislation that authorizes the AI Safety Institute (AISI). Located within NIST, AISI is a venue to convene leading experts across industry and government to contribute to the development of voluntary standards that ultimately assist in de-risking and advancing AI technologies.
Sen. Cantwell has also led legislative proposals that would empower workers and businesses with AI learning opportunities. Sen. Cantwell introduced the NSF AI Education Act (S. 4394) to expand scholarship and professional development opportunities to study AI and quantum with support from the National Science Foundation. She also sponsored the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training and Toolkit Act (S. 4487).
SEN. TODD YOUNG
Sen. Young co-led introduction of the Future of AI Innovation Act with Sen. Cantwell. Following the Senate’s bipartisan AI roundtables series, Sen. Young took a leadership role in developing the Senate’s bipartisan roadmap for artificial intelligence policy.
Working across the aisle with Sen. Brian Schatz, Sen. Young has also introduced the Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act (S. 4596), bipartisan legislation to boost awareness of AI’s risks and opportunities through a public awareness and education campaign.
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL
This year, Rep. Michael McCaul led introduction of the bipartisan ENFORCE Act (H.R. 8315), legislation that protects advanced AI technologies from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries. The ENFORCE Act updates export controls to provide the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) the flexibility to craft appropriate controls on closed AI systems without stifling U.S. innovation. As Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. McCaul helped pass the bill out of committee.
Rep. McCaul is a co-chair of the AI Caucus, dedicated to informing policymakers of the technological, economic, and social impacts of advances in AI. Along with other AI Caucus leaders, McCaul introduced the CREATE AI Act (H.R. 5077), which would establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR). NAIRR would provide a shared national research infrastructure for AI researchers to access complex resources, data, and tools needed to develop safe and trustworthy AI.
REP. DON BEYER
Rep. Beyer helped to lead the introduction of the AI Incident Reporting and Security Enhancement Act (H.R. 9720), legislation to enhance the monitoring and management of security and safety incidents and risks related to AI. By establishing an AI Security Center and updating cybersecurity reporting systems to include AI, H.R. 9720 would support AI research while mitigating risks.
When the House formed its own bipartisan Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Beyer was appointed to the group and helped to lead its exploration of AI and potential challenges. Beyer has made a notable effort to educate himself on AI-related issues, going so far as to enroll in a master’s degree program focused on machine learning at George Mason University.
Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to policy advocacy in the public interest, focused on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Learn more at responsibleinnovation.org.