Congressional Lawmakers Underscore Need for US Leadership in AI in New Report

Congressional lawmakers underscored in a recently published report the need for the U.S. to remain competitive in artificial intelligence, even as the legislators warned that the nation’s leadership position in the emergent field “is no longer guaranteed.”

The House Subcommittee on Information Technology pointed out in a document entitled “Rise of the Machines: Artificial Intelligence and Its Growing Impact on U.S. Policy” the need to increase research and development spending in order to bolster the country’s edge in AI, noting how aggressive Chinese investments in R&D are expected to push the Asian competitor ahead of the U.S. 

The subcommittee members expressed concern at the prospect of the U.S. lagging behind other countries in artificial intelligence technologies, noting how such a scenario could have serious ramifications for the nation’s cybersecurity posture, as well as the use of AI in warfare.

The authors of the report also noted how the country’s competitiveness in AI is tied to its economic security, recognizing that “AI is posed to be a key driver of economic growth.”

The lawmakers went on to note the government’s “essential role” in preserving U.S. leadership in AI, and called on the legislative and executive branches of government “to educate themselves about AI, increase the expenditures of R&D funds, help set the agenda for public debate, and, where appropriate, define the role of AI in the future of this nation.”