On April 19, 2024, U.S. Senators introduced a bill to the U.S. Senate for the Future of Artificial Intelligence Innovation Act. 

What are the goals of the bill?

If passed the bill would:  

• authorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop standards to promote innovation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI); 

• create new AI testbeds to evaluate AI models;  

• establish national competitions to encourage private-sector AI developments; 

• encourage federal science agencies to share curated datasets with the public to encourage advancements; and 

• create an international coalition with US allies to encourage cooperation on AI standards, research, and development.  

AI Safety Institute

The bill also provides that not later than one year from enactment, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology will establish an institute on AI. The mission of the AI institute will be to assist the private sector and agencies in developing best practices to assess AI systems, develop guidelines for long-term advancements in AI, and ensure innovation. The Under Secretary will also be required to appoint a Director who will report directly to the Under Secretary. The AI institute will be responsible for coordinating with NIST to, among other things:

• conduct measurement research into safety, security, and privacy; 

• incorporate guidelines on generative AI systems; 

• develop and publish supporting documents to assist persons who manage AI systems; and 

• develop tools to track incidents caused by AI systems that result in harm.

You can read the press release here and the bill here.