Democratic lawmakers are pressuring President Biden to ensure his forthcoming executive order on artificial intelligence advances “racial equity” and protections against discrimination.
As Capitol Hill scrutinizes proposals for new AI rules, Mr. Biden’s White House is working on a new AI-focused order for him to sign this year.
Sen. Edward Markey led a bicameral coalition of 16 Democrats this week requesting that Mr. Biden turn principles safeguarding people against bias from the White House’s AI Bill of Rights framework into rules.
“By turning the AI Bill of Rights from a non-binding statement of principles into federal policy, your administration would send a clear message to both private actors and federal regulators: AI systems must be developed with guardrails,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote to Mr. Biden. “Doing so would also strengthen your administration’s efforts to advance racial equity and support underserved communities.”
The White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy published a blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights in 2022 that detailed aspirations of protecting people from AI harms involving discrimination and bias, privacy invasions and surveillance, among other things.
The Democratic priorities in the framework are supported by liberal groups such as the Center for American Progress and the American Federation of Teachers, which also have pushed Mr. Biden to include the principles in his anticipated order.
Ensuring left-leaning priorities dominate the federal government’s outlook for AI is a focus of the 16 lawmakers who wrote to Mr. Biden, including prominent liberals such as: Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Sens. Cory A. Booker of New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
“As a substantial purchaser, user, and regulator of AI tools, as well as a significant funder of state-level programs, the federal government’s commitment to the AI Bill of Rights would show that fundamental rights will not take a back seat in the AI era,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers said Mr. Biden’s adoption of their priorities would lead Congress’ debate about proper policy for AI.
Deliberations on House leadership are poised to delay efforts to pass AI legislation on Capitol Hill. Senators have zeroed in on elections as a leading concern for new AI legislation to address.
Sen. Todd Young, Indiana Republican, said earlier this month ramifications for elections from AI are a clear issue that most senators agree needs to be addressed as the 2024 elections approach.
Mr. Young has worked with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, to shape new AI legislation.
Federal officials are preparing for Mr. Biden to act on AI policy before Congress does. For example, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is bracing for Mr. Biden to sign the AI order this year, according to Jen Easterly, CISA’s director.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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