As chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Cantwell will oversee legislation on emerging AI technologies
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of President Biden’s signing later today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, applauded his Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence (AI) that establishes new standards for AI safety, security, and innovation.
“I applaud President Biden for his swift response to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence,” said Sen. Cantwell, who was briefed by the White House yesterday on contents of the Executive Order. “Building on the recommendations of the NAIAC, his Executive Order creates a new … set of standards for third-party testing; identifies ways to strengthen federal support for workers; develops training and technical assistance to fight algorithmic discrimination and acts to combat deepfakes. The President’s leadership at the G7 resulted in the important adoption of AI principles and a code of conduct for companies. As we move forward, Congress must act on legislation to set a permanent framework for the development and deployment of AI.”
As Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over many of the proposals and agencies in the new Executive Order, Sen. Cantwell will play a key role in crafting and moving AI related legislation. During a recent subcommittee hearing, Cantwell said she plans to introduce legislation on combatting deepfakes and said federal privacy legislation is key to addressing AI scams and misuse concerns for consumers. The senator was instrumental in creating the National AI Advisory Committee (NAIAC), which was included in the bipartisan FUTURE of AI Act.
In August, Sen. Cantwell hosted a ‘Future of AI Forum’ in Seattle and called for a new G.I bill for AI education to help reskill workers for jobs of the future. Video of that forum is available HERE.
Last year, Sen. Cantwell was a lead architect and spearheaded the passage of the CHIPS & Science Act, which also directs the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation to identify and invest in ten key technology focus areas, including artificial intelligence.
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