Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at safeguarding U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) technology from potential misuse by foreign adversaries.
Sponsored by House Republicans Michael McCaul and John Molenaar, along with Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Susan Wild, the bill seeks to empower the Biden administration to impose export controls on AI models, bolstering national security efforts.
The proposed legislation, crafted with input from Biden administration officials, grants the Commerce Department explicit authority to regulate AI systems deemed detrimental to U.S. national security interests.
It addresses mounting concerns that advanced AI models could be exploited by foreign entities for cyber warfare or the development of harmful biological weapons.
Of particular concern is the challenge posed by open-source AI models, which are freely accessible and challenging to control under current regulations.
The bill aims to remove legal hurdles under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, facilitating the regulation of these models and enhancing oversight by the Commerce Department.
China’s reliance on Western-developed AI models, such as Meta Platforms‘ “Llama” series, has raised alarms regarding the potential misuse of U.S. technology.
The legislation aims to counter such practices and prevent foreign adversaries from leveraging American-made AI for nefarious purposes.
The introduction of this bill comes amidst growing concerns over the expanding influence of China and Russia in the AI domain.
With the United States poised to impose export controls on proprietary AI models, efforts to regulate open-source AI are important to safeguarding national security and technological leadership.
