WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has spent the past year sounding the alarm about lawmakers’ need for legislative regulation. artificial intelligence.
Last week, tech billionaire Elon Musk, a supporter of Donald Trump, shared a parody deepfake video With audio of Vice President Kamala Harris saying words she never said to her nearly 200 million viewers on X.
Without guardrails for the use of artificial intelligence to profile political candidates, Schumer and others fear, it could lead to a Wild West situation in which hoaxes by Harris, Trump and others will proliferate the media landscape and undermine voters’ trust and confidence in candidates, elections and Americans. democracy.
“Look, deep fraud is a serious, serious threat to this democracy. If people can no longer believe that the person they hear is who they are, this democracy has suffered – and will continue to suffer – in a way we have never seen before. God knows what will happen if people just turn to democracy,” Schumer said in an interview on the balcony of his Capitol office Thursday.
With the window for legislative action quickly closing this calendar year and a bid to take control of the chamber, a powerful New York Democrat is eyeing must-pass bills as a means to do something about the fast-moving technology he calls a threat to democracy. and national security.
Schumer hinted to NBC News that two deeply rigged election bills could be added to the funding bill needed to avert a government shutdown in late September — about a month before Election Day. The majority leader said the fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill, which must be passed by Dec. 31, would include national security-related AI legislation.
The Deepfake bills would ban deceptive, AI-generated audio or visual images of federal candidates designed to influence an election or solicit campaign funds, and would require disclaimers for any political ads that use AI. A pair of bills cleared the Rules Committee, but after Democrats tried to quickly pass them by unanimous consent, Republicans blocked them on the floor last week — a process that requires the approval of all 100 senators.
A bill banning it in June deepfake porn images It has also been blocked by Republicans, who have proposed narrower legislation of their own, saying it would not chill free speech.
Schumer said Democrats will continue to push.
“These are American bills. We will fight because democracy is at risk.” “We will fight to do that in every way we can, and we hope our Republican friends will repent.” As I said, we have some support from the Republicans. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. “Democracy is at risk if these deep frauds are allowed to prevail.”
Funding bill
Asked whether the leader would devote extended floor time to “deepfakes” bills when the Senate returns from a five-week summer recess on Sept. 9, Schumer noted that the chamber has only three weeks before senators are sent back. to the election campaign. The only legislative tool that works in that narrow window is a temporary funding bill to keep the government open after Sept. 30 and until Election Day.
“We have three weeks until we return. “It takes two weeks with government funding,” Schumer said, explaining the shortened schedule. projects will be returned to the ground.
The GOP’s 2024 party platform calls for repeal President Joe Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence, According to Republicans, “AI is stifling innovation.”
Republicans are blocking it, Schumer said, because “Donald Trump and most of the Republicans who follow him really don’t like democracy, they don’t value democracy. So they are pressuring Republicans to oppose these bills.”
“If we allow this to happen, it will be a dark stain on the entire long history of this beautiful republic,” he said.
Historically, Congress has dragged its feet when it comes to regulating Big Tech. However, with the increase of threats from China, in the spring of this year, deputies a potential ban the popular video sharing app TikTok In the US unless the Chinese parent company sells it.
Supporters have had success arguing that TikTok is a threat to national security, and Schumer and others say the same national security argument could secure some AI legislative victories in the defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
One of Schumer’s proposed amendments to the NDAA would authorize physical and cybersecurity requirements at data centers that house advanced “frontier” AI models, an amendment proposed by Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, would allow certain high-ranking military officers to use cyber, artificial intelligence and data analysis tools, and opportunities.
A third amendment, drafted by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, would require the Defense Secretary to create task forces at the Pentagon on the application of artificial intelligence. There are many other ideas, but it is not clear how many people will vote.
“We have a lot of AI proposals in the defense bill because AI has national security concerns,” Schumer told NBC News.
The priority of Sumer
Schumer, 73, has not been seen as a leading voice on tech issues in his more than four-decade career in both the House and Senate. But after the AI chatbot last year ChapGPT In a major leap, Schumer — at the height of his power and influence — announced that AI regulations would be central to his legislative agenda for the 118th Congress, which ends in early January.
gave a primary AI address He called it a “revolutionary moment,” arguing that Congress must put in place safeguards to protect workers, national security and democracy while continuing to promote innovation and competition.
Schumer hosted nine artificial intelligence “viewing forums,” where senators had the opportunity to hear from experts in a variety of fields who offered ideas for potential legislation. one high-level meeting Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman and Jensen Huangamong others.
And Schumer asked himself and Sens. Martin Heinrich, DN.M., Todd Young, R-Ind. and Mike Rounds, RSD. In May, group A A “roadmap” for AI legislationrequested $32 billion in annual non-defense funding to encourage innovation.
In a separate interview last week, Rounds laid out the group’s legislative strategy: instead of unpacking one big, sweeping AI package dictated by the gang, have different committees put their marks on relevant proposals and try to put the bills down in a “piecemeal” fashion.
“We did not want to make a mega bill. We wanted separate committees to work on it. You’re going to see that in the NDAA,” Rounds told NBC News. “So each committee will work at its own pace, and hopefully the legislation that comes out will be well-crafted and built with people who have a lot of knowledge in the field.”
Schumer last week signaled progress on a trio of AI-related bills that could go to the Senate floor.
He highlighted two bipartisan AI bills that have cleared the Senate Commerce Committee, including two bills that would direct the government to create large, public databases accessible by small businesses, academics and individuals to aid AI research. Another bill, the The future of the AI Innovation ActIt will allow the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, to create AI security standards aimed at fostering partnerships between business, government and academia.
Meanwhile, the third bill, the PREPARED for AI Act, Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich. and passed the Senate Homeland Security Committee with key support from Sen. Tom Tillis, RN.C. It would require federal agencies to assess the potential risks of using AI before purchasing or deploying AI systems.
“It’s clear that AI has such amazing potential – curing cancer, fighting global warming, even giving every child around the world a personal tutor. But it also has real problems,” Schumer said, referring to the “Future of Artificial Intelligence” bill. “So what we need is innovation to be our North Star, but we need guidance in this bill.”