As the Use of AI Spreads, Congress Looks to Rein It In

There's bipartisan agreement in Washington that the US government should do more to support development of artificial intelligence technology. The Trump administration redirected research funding towards AI programs; President Biden's science advisor Eric Lander said of AI last month that "America's economic prosperity hinges on foundational investments in our technological leadership." At the same time, parts of the US government are working to place limits on algorithms to prevent discrimination, injustice, or waste. The White House, lawmakers from both parties, and federal agencies including the Department of Defense and the National Institute for Standards and Technology are all working on bills or projects to constrain potential downsides of AI. Biden's Office of Science and Technology Policy is working on addressing the risks of discrimination caused by algorithms.