Ex Machina: US Lawmakers Take on Economic Threat of Artificial Intelligence

Senator Maria Cantwell is seeking a Republican co-sponsor for her bill, which would stipulate the creation of an advisory board that would advise the secretary of commerce on "networked, automated, artificial intelligence applications and robotic devices." Cantwell's bill stipulates that entities such as corporations, civil liberties groups and labor unions would send representatives to serve on the board. Representatives from the Department of Education and the National Institute of Justice (the research and development agency of the Justice Department) would serve on the board as well. For the moment, robots serve as a job creator -- but not for very much longer. The rapid advancement of AI technology has outpaced the law, with virtually nothing in terms of US federal regulation.