The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence -- which is tasked with researching ways to advance the development of AI for national security and defense purposes -- released its initial report to Congress July 31. The group was established under the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation required the commission to release an initial report to Congress within 180 days of the NDAA's enactment. The panel has 15 members, led by Chairman Eric Schmidt, the former head of Google's parent company Alphabet, and Vice Chairman Robert O. Work, a former deputy secretary of defense who served in the Obama administration. The initial report provided a summary of the group's activities and its plans for the future but did not offer any recommendations to Congress.