WASHINGTON (AP) — Don Beyer’s car dealerships were among the first in the U.S. to set up a website. As a representative, the Virginia Democrat leads a bipartisan group focused on promoting fusion energy. He reads books about geometry for fun.
So when questions about regulating artificial intelligence emerged, the 73-year-old Beyer took what for him seemed like an obvious step, enrolling at George Mason University to get a master’s degree in machine learning. In an era when lawmakers and Supreme Court justices sometimes concede they don’t understand emerging technology, Beyer’s journey is an outlier, but it highlights a broader effort by members of Congress to educate themselves about artificial intelligence as they consider laws that would shape its development.
Frightening to some, thrilling to others, baffling to many: Artificial intelligence has been called a transformative technology, a threat to democracy or even an existential risk for humanity. It will fall to members of Congress to figure out how to regulate the industry in a way that encourages its potential benefits while mitigating the worst risks.
Chelsea Gray signs extension with 2
Ministry of Health job losses 'cutting really deep'
Changes to road user charges will see EV owners paying more, climate expert says
Immigration solutions unclear, consultation needed
Lucknow beats Mumbai by 4 wickets to rise to third in IPL
Woman burned during beauty treatment: 'It was really terrifying'
Hunter jailed for Kinleith crash that killed his brother, injured friend
New Zealand is in a recession: What you need to know
Rodeo bullfighter wrangles three zebras on the loose in Washington
Coronavirus update: Italy to get aid from Germany, Spain's death rate passes China's
Remote Lake Superior island wolf numbers are stable but moose population declining, researchers say
Bangladesh PM Hasina secures fourth straight term in vote boycotted by main opposition