Artificial Intelligence: A letter to the National Institute of Standards and Technology

On December 12th, Congressional Future Caucus co-chair Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), along with fellow CFC member Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fl), penned a letter to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requesting that they work to develop a voluntary framework to facilitate and guide the expansion of AI use around the country. This framework would  boost innovation and standardize ethical practices around AI’s implementation across the U.S.. The letter comes at a time when foreign governments are stepping up investment in their own AI development in recognition of a perceived first-mover advantage to whoever is able to establish a clear AI framework on the international level. The signatories of this letter likewise recognize the importance that the United States remains the world leader in AI investment and growth, and encourage doing so in a trustworthy and uniform way across industry and government. 

AI is widely understood to hold great opportunity to transform American economic competitiveness, national security, and society as a whole. But the rise of AI has been accompanied by a growing concern over potential negative impacts for individuals, as well as fear of what foreign dominance could mean for American actors. Rep. Gonzalez stated on the issue, “Artificial intelligence has the potential to be a defining technology for future generations across the globe, and a failure to lead now could leave the door open for other countries to play a bigger role in defining the use and implementation of that technology,” Representative Soto echoed this fact, saying that “we must go forth boldly and ethically in developing the future of AI here in the United States.”

The letter sent by the members of Congress was addressed to NIST Director Walter Copan, and calls on the institute to leverage its track record of successfully collaborating with government and private actors to build out a robust AI framework. NIST has completed a litany of reports on AI use in the U.S., including calling for greater federal engagement. The move towards developing a voluntary implementation framework aims to improve trust, ease adoption, and sustain American leadership across the private and public sectors. 

Read the letter here.