Time to get smart on artificial intelligence

One of the biggest problems with Washington is that more often than not the policy conversation isn't grounded in the facts. We see this dysfunction clearly on technology policy, where Congress is largely uninformed on what the future of artificial intelligence (AI) technology will look like and what the actual consequences are likely to be. In this factual vacuum, we run the risk of ultimately adopting at best irrelevant or at worst extreme legislative responses. That's why I was particularly interested to see the comments by Tesla CEO Elon Musk to the National Governors Association that "AI is a fundamental existential risk for human civilization." Musk is a tremendous innovator and someone who understands technology deeply, and while I don't agree with his assessment, his dramatic statement is a challenge to lawmakers to start seriously examining this topic.