[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 20, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Artificial Intelligence

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, a remarkable change is taking hold in 
our country and around the world due to artificial intelligence. The 
public is now more conscious of this technology than ever before. And 
thanks to recent advancements in machine learning and neural networks, 
AI's impact in the coming years will be world-altering.
  Tomorrow morning, I will speak at the Center for Strategic and 
International Studies on how Congress can begin acting on AI in 
earnest. I will share my ideas about a comprehensive framework Congress 
can use to supercharge AI innovation in a safe and responsible way. 
Because AI is moving so fast, it is so complex, and so outside 
Congress's expertise, I will talk about some steps we must take to stay 
ahead of AI's rapid development.
  Many of AI's impacts are truly exciting. It will reshape how we fight 
disease, tackle hunger, manage our lives, enrich our minds, and ensure 
peace. But we cannot ignore AI's many dangers: AI will dramatically 
disrupt our workforce, could lead to massive and sophisticated 
misinformation and weapons, could jaundice our elections and democratic 
system, and there is the danger that we may prove incapable of managing 
this technology at all.
  Congress cannot behave like ostriches in the sand when it comes to 
AI. Some might think it is better to ignore this issue or hope someone 
else figures it out because it is so complex, but ignoring AI is 
untenable for Congress.
  In the 21st century, elected representatives must treat AI with the 
same level of seriousness as national security, job creation, and our 
civil liberties, because AI will touch on these issues and many, many 
more.
  I want to thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle who are 
already putting AI front and center, including our little team of 
Senators Heinrich, Young, and Rounds, as well as Chairman Cantwell, 
Peters, Klobuchar, Warner, and Durbin, as well as their ranking 
Republican Members. I want to commend colleagues from both sides of the 
aisle who have spoken out on AI's challenges, including Senators 
Bennet, Thune, Blumenthal, and many others.
  We must prepare for the age of AI together--both parties working with 
goodwill bipartisan cooperation. That is the only way our efforts will 
succeed in the ways it should.