Romney, lawmakers pen letter proposing federal framework for AI oversight

Scott Lewis
·2 min read
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WASHINGTON D.C. (ABC4) — Republican Sen. Mitt Romney and three other U.S. Senate colleagues submitted a bipartisan letter to congressional leadership this week on their ideas on how to mitigate the national security risks of artificial intelligence.

Romney, along with U.S. senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Angus S. King, Jr. (D-Maine), are asking Congress to consider four potential ways to oversee AI in the U.S. The letter can also be read at the bottom of this post in its entirety.

In the letter, the senators point out that while AI has the power to transform Americans’ quality of life for the better, it also introduces “a broad spectrum of risks that could be harmful to the American public.”

“Even as we focus on the tremendous benefits, experts have warned that AI could perpetuate disinformation, fraud, bias, and privacy concerns,” the letter states. “Others have voiced concerns that AI could pose threats to election integrity and the future of the workforce.”

The senators offered four potential options for federal oversight:

  • An interagency coordinating body: A body modeled on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. This body would coordinate regulatory oversight among several existing agencies.

  • Department of Commerce: Commerce could leverage the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Bureau of Industry and Security to carry out oversight.

  • Department of Energy: DoE has expertise in high-performance computing and oversees the U.S. National Laboratories. Additionally, DoE has deep experience in handling restricted data, classified information, and national security issues.

  • A new agency: Creating a new agency could be the answer since new risks may not fall within existing agency jurisdictions.

“Regardless of where these authorities reside, the oversight entity should be comprised of: (1) subject matter experts, who could be detailed from relevant federal entities that have experience handling issues such as biosecurity, chemical security, cybersecurity, and nuclear security, and (2) skilled AI scientists and engineers,” states the letter. “The oversight entity would also be tasked to study and report to Congress on unforeseen challenges and new risks to ensure that this framework remains appropriate as technology advances.”

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