Bipartisan House members propose AI commission 

A bipartisan House bill introduced Tuesday would create a commission to review, recommend and establish regulations for artificial intelligence (AI) technology. 

The 20-member commission would be made up of 10 members appointed by each party and tasked with reviewing the government’s current approach to AI oversight, recommending new structures to put in place, and establishing a risk-based approach to regulating the industry.

Introduced by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Ken Buck (R-Colo.), the bill comes as Congress ramps up its focus on how to regulate the booming AI industry, especially since the launch of OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT generative AI chatbot in November. 

Lieu said the proposal aims to let Congress allow experts to guide lawmakers on how to proceed on AI regulation. 

“Our bill forges a path toward responsible AI regulation that promotes technological progress while keeping Americans safe. Transparency is critical when legislating on something as complicated as AI, and this bipartisan, blue ribbon commission will provide policymakers and the American public with the basis and reasoning for the recommendations and what information was relied upon,” Lieu said in a statement. 

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) will introduce a companion version of the bill in the Senate. 

The bill says members of the commission should have technical expertise or backgrounds in civil society or government and create three reports to Congress and the president in the first two years.

In the first sixth months, the commission will submit a report including any proposals for urgent regulatory or enforcement action. 

A “final” report will be submitted at the end of one year, including final recommendations for a comprehensive, binding regulatory framework. A year later, the commission will submit a follow-up report including any new findings and revised recommendations. 

In addition to the bill introduced Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has put forward a framework for AI regulation. Schumer’s framework was announced in April, but at the time details of the plan were not revealed. 

On Wednesday, Schumer is giving a speech at  the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to reveal his “SAFE Innovation in the AI Age” framework and outline his vision for how the Senate should regulate the industry.

The congressional efforts also come as the administration considers AI risks. President Biden on Tuesday is meeting with AI experts and researchers in San Francisco about managing the risks of AI.

Biden and Vice President Harris met with heads of Google, Microsoft and two other AI companies in May at the White House.

Updated at 2:03 p.m.