By
Chimamanda U. Martha
April 25th, 2024
This would be one of the biggest gatherings between US lawmakers and top tech personalities wherein they would be discussing the future of AI.
Later today on Wednesday, September 13, more than 20 tech industry leaders are meeting behind closed doors with the US senators to look into how Congress can regulate artificial intelligence (AI).
Top tech personalities such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are meeting. Expected attendees at the event include Senators Mike Rounds, Martin Heinrich, and Todd Young, as well as AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. Also, in attendance will be former Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna. Feature OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will also be present.
Lawmakers are contending with the challenge of mitigating the risks associated with the rapidly emerging technology. This technology has garnered significant investment and gained popularity among consumers, particularly following the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Their primary concerns revolve around implementing safeguards to address potential threats such as dangerous deepfakes, election interference, and attacks on critical infrastructure. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said:
“For Congress to legislate on artificial intelligence is for us to engage in one of the most complex and important subjects Congress has ever faced.”
Schumer, who engaged in discussions about AI with Musk in April, aims for the attendees to engage in conversations concerning “why Congress should take action, what inquiries need to be raised, and how to foster agreement for responsible innovation”. The sessions are scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. ET and continue until 5 p.m. ET.
Back in March, Musk, alongside a consortium of AI experts and industry leaders, advocated for a six-month moratorium on the development of systems surpassing the capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4. Their rationale behind this proposal was to address potential societal risks associated with such advancements.
Biggest Gathering for Discussing AI
This week, Congress is conducting three distinct hearings on AI. During a Senate Judiciary subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, Microsoft President Brad Smith urged Congress to “mandate safety mechanisms for AI systems that oversee or manage critical infrastructure”.
This gathering is likely to become one of the largest assemblies of prominent US tech executives in recent memory. It comes on the heels of a series of AI-focused meetings involving all senators earlier this year, which established a foundational understanding, including a classified briefing. The forthcoming forums will encompass a wider range of topics, featuring forward-looking deliberations on potential legislative directions.
Speaking on the Senate floor on Tuesday, Schumer said:
“The only way we’ll achieve this goal is by bringing a diverse group of perspectives together, from those who work every day on these systems, to those openly critical of many parts of AI and who worry about its effects on workers, on racial and gender bias, and more.”
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