Kate Brennan, Associate Director of the AI Now Institute, said:
The bipartisan House Task Force on AI released a 253-page report that identifies many serious harms from rapid AI adoption but offers few meaningful policy recommendations to address them. While it is encouraging that the report clearly highlights the harms perpetuated by algorithmic decision-making, such as bias, discrimination, and worker displacement, the report also highlights the significant benefits of adopting and accelerating AI. Even in sectors, there is a strong bias in favor of adopting and accelerating AI. Large-scale AI systems have not yet been demonstrated.
In real time, we are watching large-scale AI become central to asserting U.S. economic and national security interests. It’s no surprise, then, that national security and energy acceleration are front and center in the report, which includes statements such as “AI is a critical element of national security” and “A sufficiently robust power grid.” The survey results also include that it is necessary to maintain
Government reports that clearly demonstrate technological hazards are important, but there are few legal hurdles for large-scale adoption and acceleration of AI, from critical sectors such as the defense industry, energy sector, and workplaces. You can’t be distracted. Just this week, the National Defense Authorization Act was swiftly passed by the House and Senate, with onerous provisions designed to accelerate the adoption of AI and the establishment of private industry across the Pentagon. Earlier this week, it was reported that President Biden is considering executive action to expedite construction of data centers for AI, which would allow them to exceed pollution thresholds and monopolize access to power supplies. . A policy agenda that meaningfully addresses these worrying trends is critical.
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