A bipartisan group of U.S. senators, led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, has called for a significant increase in government funding for artificial intelligence (AI) research, highlighting the urgency to address both the promises and perils of AI advancement.
Generative AI, which can autonomously create text, photos, and videos based on open-ended prompts, has sparked excitement along with concerns about potential job displacement, electoral manipulation, and threats to human dominance.
Joined by Republicans Mike Rounds and Todd Young, along with Democrat Martin Heinrich, Schumer revealed a comprehensive roadmap aimed at addressing the complex challenges posed by AI's rapid evolution.
The senators endorsed a commission report's recommendation to boost government funding for non-defense AI innovation to at least $32 billion annually.
Emphasizing the importance of this investment, Senator Rounds stated, "This is a time in which the dollars related to this particular investment will pay dividends to the taxpayers of this country long term."
Highlighting the competitive landscape, Schumer emphasized China's significant investment in AI, stressing the need for the United States to assert its dominance in the field.
He proposed the funding as "surge emergency funding to cement America's dominance in AI," aimed at outcompeting China.
The senators' proposal included funding for a cross-government AI research and development initiative, an "AI-ready data" program, and infrastructure for AI testing and evaluation across government agencies.
Despite the challenges, the senators touted AI's potential to revolutionize healthcare, transportation, and education, envisioning a future where diseases are eradicated, traffic congestion is eliminated, and personalized learning becomes universally accessible.
To inform their roadmap, the senators engaged in discussions with AI policy experts, aiming to reach consensus on key issues surrounding AI governance and innovation.
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