Young, Schatz Introduce Bill to Raise Awareness, Boost Public Trust in Artificial Intelligence

 U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act, bipartisan legislation to help raise awareness and boost public trust in AI

The bipartisan legislation would require the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a public awareness and education campaign to provide information regarding the benefits of, risks relating to, and the prevalence of AI in the daily lives of individuals in the United States.

“As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly ubiquitous throughout society, it is important that individuals can both clearly recognize the technology and understand how to maximize the use of it in their daily lives. The Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act is an important step in ensuring all Americans can benefit from the opportunities created by AI,” said Senator Young.

“As AI tools and content become increasingly common, it’s essential that the public is aware of the risks and benefits associated with them,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will direct the Commerce Department to educate the public about how best to take advantage of these tools while staying vigilant to AI-enabled scams and fraud.”

Specifically, the Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act would ensure the campaign focuses on providing information relating to:

The rights of an individual under law with respect to artificial intelligence. Best practices for detecting and differentiating AI-generated media, including media commonly referred to as “deepfakes” and content created by the programs commonly referred to as ‘‘chatbots.’’ The prevalence of AI in the daily lives of individuals, including both commercial and personal applications. Workforce opportunities, including opportunities to work in the federal government, for individuals with experience in the development, deployment, and use of AI.

Additionally, the legislation requires a report from the Secretary not later than one year after initiating the campaign on its effectiveness.

Earlier this year, Senator Young and fellow members of the Senate AI Working Groupreleased a roadmap for AI policy in the U.S. Senate to inform consideration of bipartisan legislation that maintains U.S. leadership in innovation, promotes safety and accountability, and ensures all Americans benefit from the opportunities created by AI. The Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act acts upon a recommendation in the roadmap.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.