As the technology of Artificial Intelligence (AI) grows in capabilities, so do the risks. To address this, some experts are calling for the creation of a new regulatory agency to oversee the use of the technology. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has proposed creating an agency that could grant licenses to AI platforms, set operating standards, and enforce rules. These “guardrails,” as Rep. Anna Eshoo (D, California) calls them, are necessary as AI can be powerful and dangerous if abused or misused.
However, ideas of establishing the new agency have faced resistance. Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, worries that it will create an extra layer of bureaucracy while the Computer & Communications Industry Association, a trade organization, has warned against it. Similarly, Republican lawmakers, such as Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, fear that the agency could become “captured” by the interests it is meant to regulate.
Despite pushback, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado is introducing a bill creating a five-member Federal Digital Platform Commission that would develop internet platform codes of conduct with industry input. Altman further recommends that the government must encourage other countries to do the same, pointing to the International Atomic Energy Agency as an example of a global body successfully promoting nuclear safety. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, New York) is also leading discussions on a bipartisan AI bill.
The Biden administration has said it will apply existing laws to AI in areas including lending, employment decisions, fraud prevention, and competition. The U.S. Copyright Office has also launched a review of existing concerns and tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI are constantly updating their products to ensure safety. However, Alondra Nelson, a former Biden White House official, suggested the administrators can take action using the federal government’s procurement authority to set standards for the AI systems used.
OpenAI is a technology company dedicated to creating beneficial AI, and it has developed a chatbot called ChatGPT. The system is designed to learn from user conversations in order to generate responses that are appropriate to hold a conversation. OpenAI is committed to safety and completeness of the chatbot and taking proactive measures to ensure its use is ethical.
