AI Safeguards to be Focus of Congressional Hearings

The U.S. Congress is reportedly taking steps to address the potential risks associated with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI).

Three hearings are scheduled for next week, bringing together industry executives, leading experts and government officials to shape legislation that aims to protect against AI harms, Reuters reported Friday (Sept. 8).

One of the hearings, titled “Oversight of AI: Legislating on Artificial Intelligence,” will be conducted by a Senate Judiciary subcommittee Tuesday (Sept. 12). Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who is chairing the panel, stressed the urgency of legislation to safeguard against AI-related risks, according to the report. Microsoft President Brad Smith and Nvidia Chief Scientist William Dally will be among the witnesses during the hearing.

Blumenthal and Sen. Josh Hawley, who is also on the panel, released a draft bipartisan legislative framework outlining specific principles for upcoming legislative efforts, the report said. These principles include the establishment of an independent oversight body, legal accountability for AI harms, national security defense, transparency promotion, and consumer and child protection.

Also Tuesday, a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing will focus on the “Need for Transparency in Artificial Intelligence.” It will feature witnesses from BSA/The Software Alliance and the Information Technology Industry Council.

In a separate event, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will host an AI forum Wednesday (Sept. 13), bringing together tech leaders and experts, according to the report. Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk will be among the participants.

Meanwhile, a House Oversight subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday (Sept. 14) called “How Are Federal Agencies Harnessing Artificial Intelligence?” to examine potential risks in federal agency adoption of AI, the report said. The hearing will also assess the adequacy of safeguards to protect individual privacy and ensure fair treatment. Witnesses will include officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

These hearings come as the generative AI revolution continues to march on, with little progress being made on the regulatory front as it relates to enacting guardrails around the new technology.

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