Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is calling for federal oversight over emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology. While this is not the first time that the Missouri Republican referenced the potentials of AI, this current push appears to be his most comprehensive plan on the subject to date.
Hawley is reportedly seeking congressional support for a number of potential reforms regarding AI.
The senator is seeking a means for citizens harmed by the technology to sue companies responsible for AI programs. His plan also reportedly calls for fines for AI companies collecting personal data without the users’ consent.
Hawley would also like to see children’s access to the technology limited, as well as a restriction on importing AI technology from China and vice-versa.
Lastly, the Republican seeks licenses for the creation of new AI models.
Reports indicate that Hawley is seeking bipartisan support for his regulatory plan. His concern comes at a time when a number of AI technologies are becoming publicly available.
A number of educators have already shown concern over the possibility that AI programs such as ChatGPT could help students cheat. In addition, some programs allow for the creation of artificially-generated image and video content.
The Missouri senator’s warnings have not come in a vacuum. A number of tech leaders have also warned about the rapid pace of AI’s advancement, including Tesla founder Elon Musk and Geoffrey Hinton, sometimes referred to as the “godfather of AI.”
Musk joined a number of other tech experts in signing a letter calling for a pause in the development of the cutting-edge technology.
The Twitter owner said that he feared that AI could eventually destroy humanity.
Elon Musk talking with Tucker Carlson about AI:
"It has the potential of civilization destruction."pic.twitter.com/ik4UM5V165
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 15, 2023
Hinton recently left Google, warning that much of the AI technology he helped develop represents a potential danger.
He said that current AI chatbots are currently “not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell. But I think they soon may be.”
Hinton called such possibilities “quite scary.”
The former engineer left Google after a ten-year stint.
