Bill would require Commerce to launch AI public awareness campaign
Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Todd Young, R-Ind., introduced legislation June 20 that would require the Department of Commerce to set up a public-education campaign about AI. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The education campaign acts on a proposal included in the Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group’s framework that was released last month.
A new bipartisan proposal would charge the Department of Commerce with educating the general public about the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on their daily lives.
The legislation — introduced on Thursday by Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii — would task Commerce with launching an education campaign that highlights the “the benefits of, risks relating to and the prevalence of artificial intelligence” for everyday Americans.
Within 180 days of the proposal’s enactment, the department would be required to develop a campaign that highlights individuals’ rights when it comes to using emerging capabilities, outlines best practices for identifying AI-generated content, provides information about the presence of AI in everyday life and details job opportunities when it comes to using AI, including within the federal government.
This campaign would be coordinated with other federal agencies, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The Commerce secretary would also be required to submit a report to relevant congressional committees on “the activities conducted under the AI campaign” within one year of the effort’s launch.
The bill calls for Commerce to consult with AI experts when crafting the public awareness initiative, including “stakeholders from academic or research communities, public-private partnerships and private industry.”
“As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly ubiquitous throughout society, it is important that individuals can both clearly recognize the technology and understand how to maximize the use of it in their daily lives,” Young said in a statement.
Young is a member of the Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group, which has been working over the past year to craft legislation that minimizes the risks posed by emerging capabilities while positioning the U.S. to benefit from AI’s potential. The group also includes Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. and Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
The four lawmakers rolled out their AI framework last month, which included a proposal for Congress to consider legislation “aimed at establishing a public awareness and education campaign” regarding the potential benefits and drawbacks of using AI.