House panel uses ChatGPT

Rebecca Klar
·4 min read

Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter

{beacon}



The Big Story 

The House Administration Committee approved the use of ChatGPT, the popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, for some staffers, the panel revealed in a new report.

© AP Photo/Richard Drew

The committee approved the use of ChatGPT Plus, a paid subscription plan for the chatbot, for a “cross-section” of committee staff and held an initial training on the tool, according to the report on AI strategy and implementation in the House.

 

“Information from this early use will help form committee-level best practices which can be shared internally,” the report noted.

 

The report is part of an effort by the House Administration Committee to “provide a transparent update to the public on the use of AI technology by House offices and legislative branch agencies,” it said.

 

ChatGPT, which was first launched by OpenAI in late 2022, quickly took off, sparking a race among major technology companies to develop and release their own publicly available AI models.

 

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we’re Rebecca Klar and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads 

How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:

Senate Republicans call for investigation into Temu app

Two Senate Republicans are urging the Biden administration to investigate Temu, an online marketplace owned by a Chinese parent company. Both Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) wrote letters to the Biden administration expressing their concern about Temu and alleged that it has connections to forced labor and intellectual property theft. Cotton’s letter, dated Monday and first reported on by National Review, …


 Full Story

I'm an image

AI making ransomware easier, more prevalent, committee hears

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making ransomware faster and easier to use as the online crime hits record levels, experts said at a House Financial Services subcommittee hearing Tuesday. “We have tremendous concern about the future of AI and the direction it is allowing criminal actors to take, including more sophisticated deepfakes that ultimately form the first step in the chain of ransomware attacks,” said Megan Stifel, …


 Full Story

I'm an image

Democrat touts social media age-verification measure ahead of key hearing

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) urged the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday to consider age-verification requirements for social media ahead of the panel’s hearing on data privacy and kids’ online safety legislation. The Democratic lawmaker pointed to his legislation, the Verifying Kids’ Online Privacy Act, which would require social media to develop methods of verifying users’ ages to ensure compliance with the …


 Full Story

I'm an image

The Refresh 

News we’ve flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:

European data board publishes new guidance

New guidance from the European Data Protection Board will have major implications for large adtech companies, and Meta may face some of the initial impacts, TechCrunch reported. 

How families who sued social media are taking action outside of courts

Families who have sued social media companies over alleged harms to their children are forming organizations and teaming up with nonprofits to pursue action as they wait on long court challenges and Congressional action, CNN reported.  

On Our Radar 

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

  • Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) will hold a press conference with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jesica Rosenworcel about the upcoming FCC vote to reinstate net neutrality protections on Thursday at 11 a.m.

In Other News 

Branch out with other reads on The Hill:

I'm an image

Uber is helping investigators look into account that sent driver to Ohio home where she was killed

Uber is helping investigators look into an account that sent a driver to the Ohio home where an 81-year-old man allegedly shot the woman to death because he erroneously believed she was part of a scam that targeted him, the ride-hailing company said Wednesday. The March 25 shooting death of Loletha …


Full Story

I'm an image

Hugh Grant says he took ‘enormous sum’ to settle suit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid

LONDON (AP) — Hugh Grant accepted “an enormous sum of money” to settle a lawsuit accusing The Sun tabloid of unlawfully tapping his phone, bugging his car and breaking into his home to snoop on him, the actor said Wednesday after the agreement was announced in court. Grant said he reluctantly …


Full Story

What Others are Reading 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

I'm an image

Speaker Johnson rolls out text for foreign aid package despite conservative outcry

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) released the legislative text Wednesday for three bills that would combine military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and … Read more

I'm an image

Senators dismiss Mayorkas impeachment without trial: Live coverage

Senators quickly decided Wednesday not to hold a trial on the two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The … Read more

What Others are Reading 

Opinion related to tech submitted to The Hill:

You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow! 

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.