An AI Task Force has been established by the House of Representatives to “ensure America continues leading in this strategic area,” as Speaker Mike Johnson phrased it. But after years of deadlock that shows no signs of going away, the news seems more like a gut shot.
The formation of this task group, which is being led by California Representatives Ted Lieu and Jay Obernolte, is encouraging because it shows that Congress is taking action on a pressing issue that has captured the attention of tech investors. Additionally, it appears to be empty rhetoric at a time when many believe that tech and AI are evading politicians and regulators.
Not to mention that in this highly divisive election year, the disheartening divisiveness and obstruction that is evident in Congress daily makes the notion that this task group will produce anything worthwhile seem like a pipe dream.
In the statement, Rep. Obernolte stated, “As innovations in AI continue to emerge, Congress and our partners in the federal government must keep up. House Republicans and Democrats will work together to create a comprehensive report detailing the regulatory standards and congressional actions needed to both protect consumers and foster continued investment and innovation in AI.”
Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize our way of life, according to Rep. Lieu. The issue is how to prevent AI from doing more harm than good to society. “As a recovering Computer Science major, I know this will not be an easy or quick or one-time task, but I believe Congress has an essential role to play in the future of AI. I have been heartened to see so many Members of Congress of all political persuasions agree.”
Sure, there are already a lot of authorities and organizations suggesting legislative steps and releasing “comprehensive reports”—the White House included—as well as the EU and a host of other groups.
Congress appeared to have come to terms with the fact that it was the final significant body to respond to this industry-altering force, so lawmakers from both parties stretched across the aisle to congratulate one another on the tiniest progress toward future legislation.
Additionally, given that Congress is ineffective and that everyone is looking forward to the 2024 presidential election, the task force is merely a means of postponing the issue until the next administration determines what they can get away with.
While investigating the potential advantages and disadvantages of AI is certainly commendable, the timing of the announcement may be better. We should welcome this long-overdue task committee with open arms, but we should also view it with the healthy dose of skepticism that legislators’ begging gets.
When asked why they haven’t done anything about AI, everyone will cite this. Many voters are afraid that AI will replace humans in jobs or take over tasks that used to require human intervention. “But we started this task force!” Indeed, the European Union has maintained a task group dedicated to this matter since the onset of the pandemic.
Since the task force was not specified in the announcement, neither voters nor watchdogs had high hopes for its work. They will merely “seek” to complete the report, too!
It is also difficult to envision a regulatory framework one year from now, given that the expert agencies might be declawed by a Supreme Court judgment. Need assistance from the SEC, FTC, FCC, EPA, or anybody else? Around the year 2025, they might face legal restrictions that prevent them from doing so.
Maybe this task force is Congress’s way of admitting that they can’t do much more than say they’ll look into something during these turbulent times without actually knowing anything about the issue.
