Senator Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat and chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, plans to hold hearings on artificial intelligence (AI) to inform his colleagues about the emerging technology. Congress has faced calls to regulate AI, and Peters believes there is much to learn.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Peters explained that he intends to hold hearings each time the Senate returns for a work period, covering different AI topics to gain a better understanding of the technology’s current status, future direction, opportunities, and threats.
The senator wants to hear from a range of speakers, including private and nonprofit sectors, government officials, business leaders, ethicists, and civil rights and civil liberties advocates, to gain a comprehensive picture of AI.
Peters’ panel had its first AI hearing in March, examining the technology’s risks and opportunities. The next hearing will likely cover the use of AI in the public sector, focusing on government applications.
Peters introduced a bill in 2020 that was signed into law, aiming to educate government employees who procure AI technology for their offices about its capabilities and risks. He said he plans to continue down this road in the next hearing.
Peters believes the best approach to regulating AI is to first learn about the technology. He thinks it’s crucial to gather as much information as possible before considering regulation.
Impeding innovation is not the goal, and AI offers many benefits. Peters believes that imposing regulation before having a complete picture of what needs to be done and where we should keep our hands off is unwise.
Source Fox News