As Congress endeavors to keep pace with rapidly evolving systems, the president of the newly established AI Task Force in the House of Representatives has indicated that the board is likely to conduct hearings on artificial intelligence.
Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., who chairs the House AI Task Force, expressed plans to unveil a statement outlining a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence by the end of the year. This framework is expected to encompass various pillars derived from the concerns raised by task force members.
“We are in the process of gathering information, and our next steps will involve a series of sessions, potentially including hearings, focused on different key aspects,” Obernolte shared with Fox News Digital.
The congressman emphasized a preference for initially holding closed-door sessions to foster a setting where lawmakers and witnesses can freely engage before transitioning to more public forums.
Obernolte highlighted the diverse formats that the task force sessions may adopt, aiming to facilitate an environment where members feel at ease posing questions without hesitation. He underscored the importance of both closed sessions, akin to the initial meeting, and more conventional committee sessions featuring witnesses and structured question-and-answer formats.
The bipartisan House AI Task Force, spearheaded by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., convened its second meeting recently, with discussions centered on the team’s objectives and strategies moving forward.
Speaker Johnson underscored the need to strike a balance between regulating AI to ensure safeguards without stifling innovation. The task force’s primary focus will be on determining the appropriate guardrails necessary in this evolving landscape.
In another development, the task force delved into a broad spectrum of AI regulations, addressing concerns such as the impact of deepfakes on elections, algorithmic biases, intellectual property rights, and the potential need for national legislation. The discussions also touched on the comparison between implementing a new regulatory framework akin to Europe’s approach or leveraging existing federal regulators.
Looking ahead, Obernolte mentioned that the task force is scheduled to convene once more later this week to further deliberate on these critical issues.
Elizabeth Elkind, a political reporter for Fox News Digital covering the House of Representatives, has previously held digital roles at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow Elizabeth Elkind on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [Contact Information].
