[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 118 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2291-S2292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Artificial Intelligence

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, for Congress to work on artificial 
intelligence is to enter unchartered territory. AI is not like other 
issues Congress deals with. It is not like appropriations or healthcare 
or defense, where we have decades of experience to lean on; quite the 
contrary, from a legislative view, we are starting very close to step 1 
when it comes to AI.
  So today, the Senate is taking the next step in our effort to learn 
about AI so we can be ready to act. Later this afternoon, we will hold 
the first-ever classified all-Senate briefing on national security 
implications of AI. It will be our second all-Senate briefing on this 
issue. Close to 70 Senators attended the last one, and I hope we will 
get similar attendance today.
  We will be briefed by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, 
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, and other top experts in AI 
from our defense and our intelligence Agencies.
  Today's classified briefing is crucial because, of all the issues AI 
would impact, national security may well be the most consequential. In 
the hands of autocrats or foreign adversaries or domestic rogue actors 
interested in political chaos or financial gain, the dangers of AI 
could be extreme.
  But AI could also become one of our greatest tools for keeping 
Americans safe, for predicting and intercepting attacks on the homeland 
and for adding unprecedented sophistication to our cyber security and 
for protecting our elections. So we have a responsibility--a real 
responsibility--to educate ourselves on these matters.
  Finally, these briefings are just part of the larger effort to learn 
more about AI and prepare the Senate to take action. Last month, I laid 
out my SAFE Innovation Framework for AI, a way for Congress to balance 
the urgent need to promote American innovation in AI, while making sure 
it is done in a safe and responsible way.
  Last month, I also announced that this fall I will invite the top AI 
experts to come to Congress and convene a series of first-ever AI 
insight forums for a new and unique approach to developing legislation.
  There is a lot we still don't know about AI. We need outside help if 
we want to ensure congressional action is effective, responsible, and 
promotes innovation in a safe way.
  So these insight forums will bring the best of the best to Congress. 
Our

[[Page S2292]]

jobs as legislators will be to listen and learn as much as we can so we 
can translate these ideas into action.
  And we are getting a very positive response from those we are asking 
to participate in the forums, top people in the field and in areas like 
intellectual property, like facial recognition that we need to look for 
guardrails.
  So the positive response we are getting means that we expect these 
inside forums to do just what they are intended to do: yield new 
insights on the issue. And today's briefing likewise represents an 
important step in our efforts to learn as much about AI as possible.
  I look forward to today's briefing. I want to thank Senator Rounds, 
Senator Heinrich, and Senator Young for their help in making them 
possible.