U.S. Senators Young, Kelly introduce legislation to protect American AI innovation

 U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), both members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, introduced the Advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) Security Readiness Act. The legislation would direct the National Security Agency (NSA) to develop an AI security playbook to protect America’s advanced technology from foreign adversaries.

“America’s leadership in advanced technology depends on our ability to protect it. As our foreign adversaries race to steal and exploit cutting-edge AI systems, we must stay ahead of these threats,” said Senator Young. “The Advanced AI Security Readiness Act will ensure the intelligence professionals at NSA have the tools and direction needed to safeguard U.S. innovation and preserve America’s technology advantages.”

“AI increasingly powers our defense, intelligence, critical infrastructure, scientific innovation, and much of our economy. If it’s vulnerable, we’re vulnerable,” said Senator Kelly. “This bipartisan legislation gets the NSA prepared to spot attacks early and defend our country’s AI innovation from anyone trying to exploit it. As AI evolves, we need to stay ahead of the challenges it brings to keep Americans safe.”

Background:

The Advanced AI Security Readiness Act would direct the NSA’s AI Security Center to develop an AI Security Playbook that identifies potential vulnerabilities and threats and establishes security strategies and contingency plans for America’s advanced AI systems.

More specifically, the legislation would:

• Safeguard American AI innovation from theft or sabotage by foreign actors, maintaining our national defense and technological leadership;

• Strengthen our national security by developing strategies to identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats from foreign adversaries; and
• Protect U.S. AI ecosystems by directing the NSA to proactively identify vulnerabilities within AI technologies and the AI supply chain.

Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), John Moolenaar (R-MI-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05).

Read the full text of the legislation here.