[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3891 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3891

  To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
   Technology to advance the development of technical standards for 
 artificial intelligence, to establish the National Program to Advance 
  Artificial Intelligence Research, to promote research on artificial 
    intelligence at the National Science Foundation, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 4, 2020

 Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Wicker) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
   Technology to advance the development of technical standards for 
 artificial intelligence, to establish the National Program to Advance 
  Artificial Intelligence Research, to promote research on artificial 
    intelligence at the National Science Foundation, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Artificial Intelligence 
Research Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. STANDARD DEVELOPMENT FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AT THE 
              NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY.

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
271 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 22 the following:

``SEC. 22A. STANDARDS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

    ``(a) Mission.--The Institute shall--
            ``(1) have the mission of advancing frameworks, standards, 
        guidelines, and associated methods and techniques for 
        artificial intelligence;
            ``(2) support the development of a risk-mitigation 
        framework for deploying artificial intelligence;
            ``(3) support the development of technical standards and 
        guidelines that promote reliable, robust, and trustworthy 
        artificial intelligence; and
            ``(4) support the development of technical standards and 
        guidelines by which to test for bias in artificial intelligence 
        training data and applications.
    ``(b) Participation in Standard Setting Organizations.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--The Institute shall participate in the 
        development of standards and specifications for artificial 
        intelligence.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of participation of the 
        Institute under paragraph (1) shall be to ensure--
                    ``(A) that standards promote artificial 
                intelligence that is reliable, robust, and trustworthy; 
                and
                    ``(B) that standards relating to artificial 
                intelligence reflect the state of technology and are 
                fit-for-purpose and developed in the transparent and 
                consensus-based processes that are open to all 
                stakeholders.''.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL PROGRAM TO ADVANCE ARTIFICIAL 
              INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH.

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 
271 et seq.), as amended by section 2, is further amended by inserting 
after section 22A the following:

``SEC. 22B. NATIONAL PROGRAM TO ADVANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 
              RESEARCH.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Director shall establish a research 
        program with a national scope to advance use-inspired 
        artificial intelligence research and its use in a manner that 
        serves the needs of the United States, the Institute, industry, 
        the academic community, and such other entities as the Director 
        considers appropriate.
            ``(2) Designation.--The research program established under 
        paragraph (1) shall be known as the `National Program to 
        Advance Artificial Intelligence Research' (in this section 
        referred to as the `Program').
    ``(b) Activities.--The activities of the Program shall include the 
following:
            ``(1) Supporting research necessary to operationalize the 
        goals of reliable, robust, and trustworthy artificial 
        intelligence.
            ``(2) Supporting research necessary to develop and 
        operationalize technical standards and guidelines that promote 
        reliable, robust, and trustworthy artificial intelligence.
            ``(3) Fostering development of artificial intelligence 
        applications that would enhance the public good.
            ``(4) Supporting research necessary to advance human-
        centered artificial intelligence and examining societal, 
        ethical, safety, security, and privacy effects of artificial 
        intelligence development and deployment.
            ``(5) Creating and developing processes for the purpose of 
        advancing use-inspired artificial intelligence research and its 
        use.
            ``(6) Promoting exchange of personnel among industry, 
        academic, and the government entities.
            ``(7) Establishing and operating at least one test bed to 
        support the outside entities testing the degree to which 
        artificial intelligence applications and training data are 
        reliable, robust, and trustworthy.
    ``(c) Geographic Distribution.--In establishing the Program, the 
Director may establish multiple physical campuses and a national 
network of participants to avoid undue geographic concentration of the 
activities of the Program.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $250,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025.''.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH 
              INSTITUTES.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall establish at least 6 research institutes to 
        serve the needs of the United States, industry, the academic 
        community, and such other entities as the Director considers 
        appropriate by--
                    (A) conducting research on longer-time-horizon 
                challenges in artificial intelligence research; and
                    (B) creating and developing processes for the 
                purpose of advancing use-inspired artificial 
                intelligence research and its deployment.
            (2) Designation.--Each research institute established under 
        paragraph (1) shall be known as a ``National Artificial 
        Intelligence Research Institute''.
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall establish the research 
        institutes under subsection (a) through the award of grants to 
        eligible entities using a competitive, merit-reviewed process.
            (2) Eligible entities.--For purposes of this section, an 
        eligible entity is--
                    (A) an institution of higher education;
                    (B) a nonprofit research center;
                    (C) such other type of entity as the Director 
                considers appropriate; or
                    (D) a collaboration of any combination of entities 
                described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).
            (3) Duration.--
                    (A) In general.--Each grant awarded under paragraph 
                (1) shall be for a period of 5 years.
                    (B) Reapplication.--The Director may approve or 
                disapprove reapplications from grant recipients for 
                additional grants.
                    (C) Termination.--The Director may terminate a 
                grant awarded under paragraph (1) for an 
                underperforming research institute, for cause, during 
                the performance period of the grant.
    (c) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under 
paragraph (1) to establish a research institute under this section 
shall submit to the Director an application therefor at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Director determines 
appropriate.
    (d) Community Facility.--The Director shall ensure that at least 1 
research institute established under this section operates an 
artificial-intelligence community computing facility that is available 
for use by entities other than research institutes established under 
this section.
    (e) Funding.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, the Director may, in each of fiscal years 2021 
        through 2025, obligate to carry out this section an amount that 
        is less than or equal to $50,000,000 multiplied by the number 
        of research institutes established under this section.
            (2) Derivation of funds.--Amounts obligated to carry out 
        this section shall be derived from amounts appropriated to the 
        Foundation.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM GRANTS.

    (a) Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
        Foundation shall carry out a program to award grants to 
        eligible entities to establish traineeship programs and support 
        trainees in topics selected by the Director under subsection 
        (c).
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program established by the 
        Director under paragraph (1) shall be to increase the number of 
        individuals with advanced degrees through both direct support 
        and programmatic support.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
entity is--
            (1) an institution of higher education; or
            (2) a consortia of institutions of higher education or 
        nonprofit organizations.
    (c) Topics of National Importance.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Director 
        shall select a topic for the award of grants under subsection 
        (a) based on--
                    (A) the potential of a traineeship program in the 
                topic or support of trainees in the topic to affect 
                society positively;
                    (B) the importance of the topic to the economy and 
                security of the United States;
                    (C) the career opportunities for the graduates; and
                    (D) the need for workers in the topic with advanced 
                degrees.
            (2) Initial topic selection.--The Director shall select 
        artificial intelligence as the initial topic for the award of 
        grants under subsection (a).
    (d) Components.--A grant awarded under this section may include 
support for--
            (1) the recipient of the grant to develop and distribute 
        model curriculum that may be used by other graduate programs to 
        educate students in the topic selected under subsection (c);
            (2) mentors to provide guidance for students within the 
        topic area; and
            (3) tuition and stipend for students pursuing a masters or 
        doctoral degree.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION PILOT PROGRAM ON GRANTS FOR 
              RESEARCH IN RAPIDLY EVOLVING, HIGH PRIORITY TOPICS.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation shall establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility 
and advisability of awarding grants for the conduct of research in 
rapidly evolving, high priority topics.
    (b) Duration.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall carry out the pilot 
        program required by subsection (a) during the 5-year period 
        beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Assessment and continuation authority.--After the 
        period set forth in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) the Director shall assess the pilot program; 
                and
                    (B) if the Director determines that it is both 
                feasible and advisable to do so, the Director may 
                continue the pilot program.
    (c) Grants.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Director shall 
award grants for the conduct of research in topics selected by the 
Director in accordance with subsection (d).
    (d) Topic Selection.--The Director shall select topics for research 
under the pilot program in accordance with the following:
            (1) The Director shall select artificial intelligence as 
        the initial topic for the pilot program.
            (2) The Director may select additional topics that the 
        Director determines are--
                    (A) rapidly evolving; or
                    (B) of high importance to the economy and security 
                of the United States.
    (e) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a person seeking 
        a grant under the pilot program shall submit to the Director an 
        application therefor at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Director may specify.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) A brief description of the research the 
                applicant proposes to carry out with a grant awarded 
                under the pilot program.
                    (B) A brief description of how the research is of 
                an urgent nature.
                    (C) The general goals of the research.
                    (D) Such other information as the Director may 
                specify.
    (f) Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant under the pilot program 
shall use the amount of the grant to conduct the research for which the 
grant was awarded.
    (g) Summaries of Research Findings.--A recipient of a grant under 
the pilot program shall submit to the Director, at such intervals as 
the Director determines appropriate, a summary of the findings of the 
recipient with respect to the research conducted with the grant amount.
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