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Senate to hold classified briefings on artificial intelligence

FILE - The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen displaying output from ChatGPT, on March 21, 2023, in Boston. European lawmakers have rushed to add language on general artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT as they put the finishing touches on the Western world's first AI rules. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

(NewsNation) — Senators will have an opportunity for classified, bipartisan briefings on artificial intelligence, as the potential dangers of AI have become an increasing area of concern for lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) formally invited all senators to the briefings, the first of their kind to be held. Schumer was joined in the invitation by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Todd Young (R-IN).


AI has become a hot topic lately as services like ChatGPT raise concerns about the risks and potential of artificial intelligence. Tech companies have jumped on the trend, with Microsoft, Google and others launching their own AI-powered tools.

Congress has held hearings on AI, but the series of three briefings will be classified, meant to examine the state of AI, the possible impacts of AI on American leadership and the impact of AI on national security and defense.

While AI tools have proven to be useful in some cases, they have also sparked questions about plagiarism and intellectual property rights. Incidents of AIs producing false information or experiencing “hallucinations” that cause them to act aggressively have already been documented.

Some tech experts have called for tech companies to put the brakes on AI development, warning that the risks of AI increase without proper regulation, while others have said the tech industry is keeping ethics and responsibility in mind while developing artificial intelligence tools.

National defense is one area of concern, as military and tech experts have warned of the ways AI could alter the global security landscape, with potentially devastating consequences.

President Joe Biden has urged Congress to act quickly on passing AI regulations for the tech industry.