US Senator Schumer announces roadmap towards piecemeal AI legislation

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Wednesday at the AI Expo for National Competitiveness in Washington DC that in the next few weeks, he will be presenting a framework to address the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), to be translated into legislation.

During the interview, Senator Schumer declared that “if we do nothing, China with a whole different system – their AI is interested in things like facial recognition and surveillance and stuff like that – could get ahead of us.”

Schumer confirmed that Congress would address different issues, including AI’s impact on intellectual property, labor rights, healthcare, and any catastrophic risks, with a ‘piecemeal approach’ and experts’ guidance. He added that in practice, the proposed roadmap will “see different committees taking a role and translating that, concretizing that, into legislation.”

Why does it matter?

Schumer’s proposed framework could be an important development in the current debate around AI regulation in the US, following President Biden’s administration’s landmark Executive Order on AI last October and its recent 180-day review of actions completed.
It is likely to spark further debate and debate among policymakers, tech leaders, and experts, as they work together to shape the future of national AI strategy and regulation.
US government officials are warning that in the wrong hands, advanced AI models may be used to cause harm, such as creating bioweapons or performing powerful cyberattacks.
The White House and a growing number of lawmakers are also concerned about how AI technologies could be used to influence Americans during the elections and affect the outcome. While they have been pushing for AI legislation, the process has so far stalled in a polarised Congress, leaving Europe way ahead in comprehensive AI regulation.