There are dozens of bills related to regulating artificial intelligence currently floating through US Congress, and they’re varied. One aims to improve knowledge of AI in public schools, while another is pushing for model developers to disclose what copyrighted material they use in their training. Three deal with mitigating AI robocalls, while two address biological risks from AI. Because of the way Congress works, the majority of these bills will never make it into law.
The two bills mentioned above addressing biological risks associated with AI:
- Artificial Intelligence and Biosecurity Risk Assessment Act: This bill, introduced by Senators Edward Markey and Ted Budd, directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct comprehensive risk assessments of AI advancements, especially in relation to biosecurity. It addresses concerns that AI could potentially be misused to design biological or chemical weapons(Senator Markey)(U.S. Senator Ted Budd).
- Strategy for Public Health Preparedness and Response to Artificial Intelligence Threats Act: Also introduced by Senators Markey and Budd, this bill requires the HHS to develop a public health strategy to mitigate AI-generated threats, particularly those related to biological or chemical risks(U.S. Senator Ted Budd).
These bills aim to ensure that the federal government is prepared to assess and respond to potential biosecurity risks posed by AI. Both are responses to increasing concerns about the dual-use nature of AI technologies, which could be exploited to create dangerous bio-threats.
For full access to the text of these bills, you can find them on the U.S. Congress website
(Senator Markey) (U.S. Senator Ted Budd) and here.
