On Tuesday, a coalition of more than 20 tech policy and civil society organizations urged Congress to prioritize passage of whistleblower legislation to protect workers in the field of AI. The letter endorses the AI Whistleblower Protection Act, a bipartisan bill that would protect those working to develop and deploy AI systems from retaliation when they warn federal regulators about AI risks. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA).
Read the full coalition letter and list of signers here.
“Whistleblowers provide an early warning alarm system for AI risks,” said ARI President Brad Carson. “While some tech companies may want to take the battery out of that alarm system, this bill protects whistleblowers to make sure their warnings come through loud and clear. We’ve seen the power of whistleblowers in helping to deliver transparency and accountability for social media companies, and their role will be just as vital in the AI era.”
Tuesday’s endorsement letter is signed by groups including ARI, the Center for Democracy & Technology, Demand Progress, the National Consumers League, the National Whistleblower Center, Public Knowledge, and Young People’s Alliance.
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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 www.ari.us.
