The Senate’s AI Roadmap Sets America on the Right Course

WASHINGTON—In response to the Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence Policy released by Sens. Schumer, Heinrich, Rounds, and Young, the Center for Data Innovation released the following statement from Senior Policy Manager Hodan Omaar:

This roadmap for AI policy shows Congress is listening to those who have called on policymakers to ensure the United States remains the global leader in AI. By investing in and prioritizing AI innovation, the United States is helping safeguard its position and creating a framework for policy that recognizes the enormous societal and economic benefits AI can bring to sectors such as health care, transportation, and education.

The roadmap will help the United States steer clear of the pitfalls Europe is encountering. EU policymakers have failed to prioritize AI innovation and adoption and plunged into a stringent regulatory regime that now has them worrying if they have shot themselves in the foot and will ever be able to catch up with the U.S. economy. The roadmap suggests Congress is learning from that cautionary tale.

However, this roadmap is designed to spur a wave of legislative activity in Congress to address concerns about AI—privacy, safety, workforce disruptions, etc.—and the challenge for Congressional lawmakers will be to pick the right policy solution for each concern. They should recognize that certain issues may require new regulations, but many can be addressed by legislation that sets guidelines, promotes certain practices, or incentivizes desired behaviors. For example, the House recently passed a bill supporting the development of privacy-enhancing technologies, which is a great example of non-regulatory legislation that will help address some of the privacy concerns related to AI. Being discerning about what concerns merit responses and what types of policy action they warrant will help ensure policymakers craft targeted, impactful, and effective policies to address the real challenges AI poses while avoiding unnecessary regulatory burdens that will stifle innovation.

Finally, the roadmap leans heavily on investments to support AI research and development, but policymakers should recognize that the benefits of AI are not going to be realized by only improving AI development. The United States also needs a multipronged national AI adoption plan to ensure these opportunities are translated into all the areas where they can make a positive difference in people’s lives. It is therefore critical that Congress focus on crafting policies that accelerate the adoption of AI in both the public and private sectors.