Major tech companies press Congress to pass AI safety legislation

Major tech companies, including Amazon, Google, and Meta, are urging Congress to pass artificial intelligence safety legislation before the year ends. 

The trade association known as the Information Technology Industry Council and a coalition dubbed Americans for Responsible Innovation sent a letter to Congress, requesting that lawmakers codify an existing agency that monitors AI risks.

“There is a critical opportunity for the U.S. to lead multilateral efforts through its own AI Safety Institute — or risk letting other countries write the rules for this powerful technology,” the letter states, according to The Hill.

The AISI is the only government agency in the U.S. that studies AI safety and offers guidance for advancements and it could be dismantled if not authorized by Congress. 

“Codifying this work at NIST before the end of this year will help ensure that the U.S. maintains its influence in the development of science-backed standards and technical work that underpin our shared goal of responsible development of advanced AI systems,” the letter continued. 

Both chambers of Congress have advanced legislation out of committee that would codify AISI.

The letter requested that the AISI be codified before the year 2025.