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The bipartisan leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee are introducing a bill to increase privacy and other controls of artificial intelligence data gathered on behalf of federal agencies, including assurances that the data remains in the government’s hands.
Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, cited recent reports that “AI technology companies that contract with federal law enforcement agencies have misused data and information they have collected.”
“In other instances, federal agencies have not taken the necessary steps to ensure contractors appropriately handle information collected by AI technologies such as facial recognition – leading to Americans’ information being compromised,” they said in a joint statement.
The bill would require OMB to set up an Artificial Intelligence Hygiene Working Group of experts from across agencies to set standards for security, protection of civil rights and preventing the data from being appropriated by contractors or publicly posted, sold, or misused.
They also are the primary sponsors of a bill now ready for a Senate vote (S-2551) to require fuller training of federal employees who acquire and manage artificial intelligence technology on its capabilities and risks.
Meanwhile, the House has passed HR-1508, to require that any guidance documents issued by agencies state prominently that the guidance does not have the force of law, does not bind either the agency or the public, and is intended only to provide clarity regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
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