The government of the United States is contemplating legislation to support the integration of artificial intelligence into culture.
Those who have embraced these technologies early on are experiencing notable boosts in work efficiency. For example, Klarna, a service provider for buy now, pay later transactions, anticipates that its Artificial associate tool will enhance its financial performance by $40 million by the conclusion of 2024.
During an interview with CNBC, Klarna’s CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, mentioned, “It essentially performs the duties of 700 full-time agencies,” effectively handling two-thirds of the impending tasks via chat.
Klarna’s Artificial associate tool is built on OpenAI’s platforms, which drive Sora and ChatGPT, garnering significant attention from both the public and Congress.
In 2023, congressional members held discussions, private gatherings, and educational sessions with prominent tech leaders, including Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. To aid policymakers in grasping the optimal strategies for risk identification and maximizing the benefits of emerging technologies, the White House sought insights from 15 distinguished industry figures. This group includes key players in the technology sector alongside external entities like Anthropic and OpenAI.
The Senate Task Force on AI, established in 2019, has enacted a minimum of 15 bills focusing on research and risk evaluation, contributing to the regulatory landscape in the U.S. However, the regulatory framework in the U.S. appears notably more lenient compared to initiatives undertaken by the European Union in 2024.
“Brussels officials often introduce numerous bureaucratic regulations that impede firms’ innovation efforts,” remarked Erik Brynjolfsson, a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, during an interview with CNBC. The “business culture” in the United States differs significantly.
Economists have expressed prolonged concerns regarding the potential adverse impact of artificial intelligence on the employment prospects of white-collar workers, a facet previously untouched by industrialization. According to an International Monetary Fund study, at least 60% of job roles in developed nations could undergo alterations due to the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence.
In 2023, legislators in the New York State Assembly tabled a proposal aimed at mitigating the anticipated repercussions of technology-induced workforce reductions through machine levies. The objective is to compel companies utilizing technology to reassign affected employees internally or face financial penalties. As of April 2024, the bill remains under review, with its fate uncertain.
Some economists argue that machine taxes may be levied at a relatively modest rate, if implemented at all. In the U.S., both employers and employees are subject to payroll taxes amounting to 7.65% of their income. Nonetheless, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggest that the optimal rate for a robot tax would fall between 1% and 3.7%.
Brynjolfsson voiced, “It’s imperative for us to enhance output and productivity. Hence, I am uncertain whether imposing taxes on these entities is beneficial.” He emphasized, “Robots play a pivotal role in driving industrial progress and amplifying our productivity.”
Brynjolfsson envisions a future where computers could execute a majority of tasks currently performed by humans. However, he acknowledges, “We have not reached that stage yet.”
