Committee Leaders Lofgren and Lucas Introduce AI Workforce Bill

(Washington, D.C.) - Yesterday, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced the Workforce for AI Trust Act. The bill promotes a multidisciplinary workforce that can advance the development and training of trustworthy AI systems. It will do so by leveraging existing artificial intelligence, education, and workforce programs and activities at the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

"AI has tremendous potential to catalyze innovation and do good for society," said Ranking Member Lofgren. "However, public trust in AI can be undermined by the potential harm it could cause. There is a need for AI governance systems that promote societal benefits and minimize potential harms. To do that we need an AI workforce that can apply these insights during AI system development and deployment. This bill will help fill the existing gap in the AI governance workforce, while emphasizing the importance of building and fostering diversity within this workforce. This is key to our making sure the U.S. can lead in AI and standard setting. I thank Chairman Lucas for joining me in introducing this important legislation."

"As artificial intelligence rapidly changes the world, we need to ensure that the United States has a robust workforce that supports its innovative development and advances our national interest," said Chairman Lucas. "This bill builds on the success of the Science Committee-led National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020. It ensures that we cultivate a skilled and knowledgeable workforce to develop AI systems in a safe and trustworthy manner, upholding our American values of fairness and transparency. I want to thank Ranking Member Lofgren for her collaboration on this pivotal piece of legislation. I am eager to continue our efforts in advancing artificial intelligence systems and upholding our country's leadership in this field."

Learn more about the bill here.

Below is a list of current endorsers of the bill:

• Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI)
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• Center for AI Policy
• Google
• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES)
• Humane Intelligence
• Institute for Progress (IFP)
• SeedAI
• Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)

Permalink: https://republicans-science.house.gov/2024/7/committee-leaders-lofgren-and-lucas-introduce-ai-workforce-bill