The Senate AI Roadmap Marks a Narrative Shift to Optimism

May 15th special issue

The Schumer-led Senate Committee released a roadmap highlighting its approach to AI – a reassuring narrative shift towards optimism and strategic investment. The commitee also features Senators Rounds (R-S.D.), Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Young (R-Ind.). 

Broadening AI in Science: The report highlights a critical fact experts have been trying to get across: AI is not just for chatbots, but incredibly useful in “science, medicine, and agriculture”. The majority of the report is directed on capitalizing on this fact, by investing in AI research and adoption. 

AI as Great Power Competition: The national security section continues this positive narrative shift, focusing on clear measurement of AGI, domestic technology investments, securing energy for AI, and … space debris? 

A big question around AI and national security was whether policymakers would take a “war on terror” approach, focusing on surveilling and controlling AI, or a “great power competition” approach focused on industrial policy and competing with China. The report takes a step towards the latter.

Aside from a brief mention of CBRN in the agency coordination section, specific “doomsday scenarios” are not discussed. This indicates a further shift away from the “war on terror” narrative and a greater emphasis on competition with large adversarial states. 

Getting informed on short term concerns: Additional sections take an open-ended approach to addressing reasonable short-term concerns about elections, privacy, and copyright. This reflects a growing desire to understand AI at a more fine-grained level in many offices I meet with.

Once again, I cannot emphasize enough how much this has changed in a positive direction, in just a few months.