Key facts
- Two Republican senators introduced a bill to block foreign adversaries from AI technology.
- The bill would grant the Commerce Department enhanced authority.
- The Commerce Department would be able to shield domestic AI from hostile supply chains.
- The FTC proposed a policy on AI bias.
- AI companies with chatbots reflecting "ideological objectives" may violate federal law.
- Efforts to prevent AI discrimination could conflict with the FTC Act.
Legislation has been introduced by two Republican senators seeking to safeguard U.S. artificial intelligence technology from foreign adversaries. This proposed bill aims to grant the Commerce Department increased authority to protect domestic AI from supply chains controlled by nations identified as hostile to U.S. national security interests. The initiative reflects a growing concern among lawmakers regarding the potential misuse of advanced AI technologies by geopolitical rivals.
In a separate but related development, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has put forth a policy proposal concerning AI bias. The agency indicated that artificial intelligence companies whose chatbots appear to reflect "ideological objectives" could be in violation of federal law. The FTC highlighted that attempts to implement safeguards against AI-driven discrimination might potentially conflict with the existing provisions of the FTC Act. This suggests a complex regulatory landscape where efforts to ensure ethical AI development could face legal challenges.