California Congressman Ted Lieu talks about the state of AI governance  | The TechTank Podcast

Recent conversations at the White House and in Congress are grappling with the governance of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly whether to prescribe legislative or regulatory guardrails, or allow for self-regulation. With AI technology transforming various sectors, including healthcare, finance, and transportation, the governmental scrutiny will persist. Recently, the U.S. Senate held a three-hour hearing, where Elon Musk raised grave concerns about its significant risks to humanity while Bill Gates emphasized its potential to address societal challenges.  

The Biden-Harris administration has received voluntary commitments from numerous tech companies that are interested in being more responsible in how they address some of these risks. Yet, among civil society and academic experts, those actions may not go far enough to address all the lingering concerns about AI and promote more inclusive policymaking. Some members of Congress, including Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA), are balancing opportunities and risks, especially in the areas of national security, bias, and discrimination. In June 2023, he introduced a bipartisan House bill to create a commission to “…review, recommend, and establish regulations for AI.” His hope is that experts in the field with technical backgrounds and expertise in civil rights will help guide Congress on the most appropriate guardrails and present a series of proposals, including those advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as enforcement.  

In this episode of the TechTank Podcast, co-host Nicol Turner Lee speaks to Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) about these and other areas concerning AI regulation, oversight, and guidance in the United States. They also discuss how AI’s regulation among other countries will influence national policymaking.  You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the TechTank podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Acast.