This recent quip from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, neatly encapsulates how some in Congress are approaching artificial intelligence. To prevent next-generation computer programs from wreaking havoc on American society, this faction wants to enact comprehensive regulation at “lightspeed.”
Let’s be clear: The federal government has a legitimate and necessary role in regulating emerging technologies, and AI is no exception. If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that the interests of private entities and the interest of the nation do not always align. “There are some senators that still can’t spell AI,” Sen. Mark Warner joked earlier this year. Indeed, few lawmakers had given the topic much thought before ChatGPT made headlines. Moreover, the technology is changing so rapidly that computer scientists can barely keep up with it, much less politicians.
We should not be surprised that Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk want Congress to play referee for them, because Meta and X are among the companies best positioned to navigate and benefit from regulation. But we should be suspicious of any attempt by policymakers to delegate legislative decisions to “industry experts” with conflicting interests.
Imagine a world in which the People’s Liberation Army is months or even years ahead of the Pentagon in the realm of AI. We would be at the mercy of next-generation influence campaigns, market manipulation, and election interference. And in the case of conflict, our men and women in uniform would be at a severe tactical disadvantage.
But at this early stage, we would be foolish to think that we are anywhere close to having the last word on the issue, or that any such word would be to America’s benefit. Simply put, we have to know what game we’re playing before we can write its rules in our favor.