ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) program developed by OpenAI, has been drawing attention from US lawmakers due to its impact on national security and education. The AI has been met with a mixed reaction, with some praising its ability to quickly respond to a wide range of queries and others expressing fear that it could be used to spread disinformation. Within two months of its launch, ChatGPT had reached 100 million monthly active users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. AI’s rapid growth has raised concerns about its potential for regulation.
Representative Ted Lieu, a member of the House of Representatives Science Committee, has expressed his excitement about AI and its potential to advance society and his concern about AI that is left unregulated. He has introduced a resolution that calls for Congress to focus on AI regulation to ensure its development is safe, ethical, and respectful of the rights and privacy of Americans. The resolution also seeks to minimize the risks associated with AI while ensuring its benefits are widely distributed.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently visited Capitol Hill, where he met with lawmakers interested in technology, including Senators Mark Warner, Ron Wyden, and Richard Blumenthal, as well as Representative Jake Auchincloss. During these meetings, lawmakers raised concerns about AI biases that could lead to discrimination in areas such as housing and employment. Wyden, in particular, is focused on ensuring AI does not automate discrimination.
Prompted by worries about plagiarism, ChatGPT has already been banned in New York and Seattle schools. OpenAI has issued a statement saying that it does not want ChatGPT to be used for misleading purposes in schools or anywhere else and is already working on mitigations to help identify text generated by the system. The company’s chief technology officer, Mira Murati, has also said that OpenAI welcomes input from regulators and governments on regulating AI.
Andrew Burt, managing partner of BNH.AI, a law firm focused on AI liability, has expressed concerns about the national security implications of AI systems like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. He has spoken with lawmakers studying the regulation of these AI systems, but he could not disclose their names. Burt has noted that the value proposition of AI systems like ChatGPT is their ability to generate content at scales and speeds that humans can’t. He has also expressed concern about malicious actors using these systems to generate false or harmful information.
When asked about regulation, ChatGPT declined to take a stance, stating that as a neutral AI language model, it does not have a preference for specific laws. However, it listed potential areas of focus for regulators, such as data privacy, bias and fairness, and transparency in how answers are generated.
ChatGPT has been met with excitement and concern due to its impact on national security and education. Lawmakers are studying the regulation of AI systems like ChatGPT to ensure their development is safe, ethical, and respectful of the rights and privacy of Americans. OpenAI has welcomed input from regulators and governments on how to regulate AI.
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As ChatGPT’s popularity explodes, U.S. lawmakers take an interest