Senate Democrat pitches a game plan on AI

Senate Democrat pitches a game plan on AI

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee , unveiled a framework Wednesday for regulating artificial intelligence amid growing pressure on lawmakers to address the technology’s risks.

Cantwell laid out a set of principles for how Congress and the executive branch should approach AI, arguing that to “manage risks from advanced AI systems we need clear safety standards, continuous testing, and reporting of serious failures.”

“America can lead the world in AI by building systems that are not only more capable, but safer and more secure,” she added in a statement.

She suggested the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) should be in charge of developing standards to protect against catastrophic harms from AI models, such as AI-enabled cyberattacks, biological and chemical threats or loss of human control.

This has become top of mind for lawmakers, after several AI researchers warned last month that the technology could have dire consequences for humanity.

A series of incidents in which AI agents hacked into other companies or acted in unexpected ways has further fueled concerns.

Cantwell also argued that government and independent experts should continually scrutinize and stress test models and that AI firms should be subject to comprehensive audits by independent firms.

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