Overview
Title
To establish artificial intelligence standards, metrics, and evaluation tools, to support artificial intelligence research, development, and capacity building activities, to promote innovation in the artificial intelligence industry by ensuring companies of all sizes can succeed and thrive, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The Future of Artificial Intelligence Innovation Act of 2024 is a plan to set rules and tools for safely using smart machines and robots so that everyone can use and invent them together. It also talks about working with other countries to agree on how these smart machines should work and be used fairly.
Summary AI
The bill, titled the "Future of Artificial Intelligence Innovation Act of 2024," aims to establish standards and tools to regulate and evaluate artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It proposes the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute to assist in developing best practices and support AI adoption across federal agencies. The legislation also seeks to foster international collaboration on AI standards and identify regulatory barriers that hinder AI innovation. Additionally, it encourages research, development, and the building of AI capacity through public data initiatives and federal challenges.
Published
Keywords AI
Sources
Bill Statistics
Size
Language
Complexity
AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
The Future of Artificial Intelligence Innovation Act of 2024 is a legislative proposal focused on advancing the use and development of artificial intelligence (AI) across various sectors. The bill lays out a comprehensive framework that includes establishing AI standards, metrics, and evaluation tools, promoting international cooperation, and fostering collaboration among public, private, and academic sectors. Key components of the bill include the creation of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute to develop voluntary practices and guidelines for AI systems, as well as the initiation of programs to test AI technologies and materials using emerging methods like AI integrated with technologies such as quantum computing.
Summary of Significant Issues
One major issue with the bill is the lack of specifics regarding funding and budget sources for various initiatives, such as the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute. Without clear funding parameters, there's a risk of inefficient spending or misallocation of resources. Furthermore, the bill grants broad authority to the Institute's Director, which could lead to favoritism or excessive spending without adequate oversight. The provision allowing the Director to accept gifts from both public and private sources raises ethical concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
The bill also faces scrutiny for its lack of detailed accountability measures. For instance, the reliance on partnerships for the Institute's functions lacks clear metrics for success and mechanisms to hold partners accountable. Similarly, the establishment of AI testbeds allows for classified operations without clear oversight, which could hinder transparency.
In terms of international cooperation, the bill is vague on crucial details like the participation criteria for international coalitions and the engagement of private sector stakeholders. This lack of clarity could result in inconsistent application and potential bias.
Another concern is the absence of safeguards against favoritism in the distribution of resources for Federal investments in AI research and development. This could result in an uneven playing field for different industries or organizations.
Impact on the Public Broadly
The enactment of this bill could have significant impacts on the general public. By promoting the development of AI systems, the bill aims to accelerate technological advancements that could improve efficiency and service quality in various sectors, potentially improving the lives of many. However, unclear regulations and lack of transparency might lead to misuse or mismanagement of AI technologies, posing risks related to privacy or security, particularly if AI systems are inadequately assessed or improperly deployed.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For tech companies, especially those involved in AI, this bill presents opportunities to engage in public-private partnerships and partake in collaboration with government and academic institutions to further innovation. However, smaller or newer companies may face challenges such as limited access to resources or potential bias in the distribution of funds and collaborations.
Academic institutions and researchers stand to benefit from increased funding and resources, enhancing their ability to conduct cutting-edge research in AI. Conversely, there may be concerns about equal access to these opportunities across institutions.
For international stakeholders, the bill’s provisions on forming international coalitions could foster stronger global relationships and standardization in AI technology. However, the ambiguity of terms like "like-minded governments" could limit participation or create inequality in these partnerships.
In summary, the bill offers promising potential for AI advancement but raises important concerns about oversight, fairness, and transparency that must be addressed to ensure equitable and efficient implementation.
Issues
The establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (Section 101) lacks specifics about budget or funding sources, raising concerns about potential wasteful spending and accountability.
The language granting the Director of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute broad authority to hire and adjust pay rates (Section 101) could lead to risks of favoritism or excessive spending without adequate oversight.
The provision allowing the Director of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute to accept gifts from public and private sources (Section 101) raises ethical concerns, especially regarding conflicts of interest or the appearance of impropriety despite regulations that are described as broad.
The international coalition on AI standards lacks clarity on funding, the definition of 'like-minded governments,' criteria for participation, and private sector engagement, which raises concerns about transparency and potential bias in international cooperation (Section 111).
The section on the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute's functions heavily relies on partnerships and coordination without clearly defined mechanisms for accountability or measures of success (Section 101).
The program on AI testbeds (Section 102) explicitly defines 'appropriate committees of Congress,' potentially limiting oversight and excluding other relevant committees, which can lead to issues of accountability and transparency.
Section 202 requires Federal investment initiatives to stimulate AI research and development, yet lacks safeguards against favoritism towards certain industries or organizations, raising concerns about fairness in the distribution of resources.
The program on AI testbeds allows for classified testbeds but lacks specific guidelines or oversight for their operation, raising concerns about transparency and accountability (Section 102).
There are no explicit metrics or criteria provided for evaluating the success and impact of various programs, including the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute and AI testbed program, which could lead to ambiguous assessments of effectiveness (Sections 101 and 102).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title; table of contents Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Future of Artificial Intelligence Innovation Act of 2024 outlines its purpose and structure in its first section. It includes a short title, a detailed table of contents listing key components such as voluntary AI standards, international cooperation for innovation, and AI research and development areas.
2. Sense of Congress Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Congress believes that rules about artificial intelligence should help develop and use AI in a way that benefits everyone, including both private companies and the government.
3. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section provides definitions for several terms related to artificial intelligence and technology. These include "agency," "artificial intelligence," "AI blue-teaming and red-teaming," and "generative AI," among others, and it also covers concepts like "critical infrastructure" and "watermarking" for digital content verification.
101. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute is established to help the private sector and government develop best practices for assessing AI systems and improve the quality of government services using AI. The Institute will create guidelines and standards for AI development, provide technical help, hire experts, and work with international partners to ensure safe AI technologies.
102. Program on artificial intelligence testbeds Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section describes a program to test artificial intelligence (AI) systems, requiring coordination between various governmental entities and private companies to research, evaluate, and manage potential risks of AI technologies. It outlines various responsibilities and activities, including creating evaluations and metrics for AI systems, consulting with industry and academia, and ensuring that sensitive information remains protected.
103. National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Energy testbed to identify, test, and synthesize new materials Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines the establishment of a testbed by the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Energy, through which they will identify, test, and synthesize new materials to advance material science and support advanced manufacturing using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. It emphasizes the need for public-private partnerships, and the use of resources from National Laboratories and the private sector to ensure the success of this initiative.
104. National Science Foundation and Department of Energy collaboration to make scientific discoveries through the use of artificial intelligence Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy are collaborating to make new scientific discoveries by using artificial intelligence, as well as its integration with other emerging technologies like quantum computing and robotics, to benefit the U.S. economy. To achieve this, they may form partnerships with private companies and use resources from various sectors, including National Laboratories, the private sector, and academic institutions.
105. Progress report Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Director of the Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute must work with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Energy to send a report to Congress within one year of this Act becoming law. This report will cover the progress on implementing the rules outlined in this part of the law.
111. International coalition on innovation, development, and harmonization of standards with respect to artificial intelligence Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section describes a plan where the U.S. Secretaries of Commerce and State, and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy aim to work with allies to advance and agree on international standards for artificial intelligence. They will ensure participating countries are technologically advanced, adhere to open standards, and uphold intellectual property protections, while involving private-sector input from partner countries.
112. Requirement to support bilateral and multilateral artificial intelligence research collaborations Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Director of the National Science Foundation is tasked with supporting collaborations, both with different countries and with multiple countries together, to advance artificial intelligence research. These collaborations must align with U.S. research priorities, promote innovation, ensure international cooperation, and include security measures to protect intellectual property.
121. Comptroller General of the United States identification of risks and obstacles relating to artificial intelligence and Federal agencies Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress within a year, detailing any legal barriers to innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). This report must include examples of relevant laws, challenges faced by federal agencies in applying these laws, and the current use of AI in government, along with recommendations for boosting AI innovation.
201. Public data for artificial intelligence systems Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines a plan to identify and prioritize federal data that can be used to develop artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the U.S. It requires input from public stakeholders and agency cooperation, with attention to privacy and national security, while providing guidelines for creating and sharing these datasets for AI research.
202. Federal grand challenges in artificial intelligence Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section mandates that a list of priorities for advancing artificial intelligence in the U.S. be established and updated periodically, focusing on areas like microelectronics, advanced manufacturing, and border security. It also requires Federal agencies to initiate prize competitions or other investments to support these priorities, ensuring they benefit the U.S. economy and take advantage of industry and philanthropic expertise.