AI Policy Newsletter - December 20, 2024

House Task Force Releases AI Report: On December 17, the Bipartisan Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, co-chaired by Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Ted Lieu (D-CA), released a 253-page report providing recommendations and policy proposals on AI across 14 issue areas, including government use of AI, data privacy, national security, content authenticity, healthcare, and small businesses. With the release of the report, both Obernolte and Lieu commented on the importance of protecting consumers and advancing American innovation. View the full report here.

Trump Appoints AI Czar: On December 5, President-elect Donald Trump named David Sacks, the former COO of PayPal and a venture capitalist, as his new “White House A.I and Crypto Czar.” While it is not clear exactly what this role will be within the administration, Sacks is expected to promote innovation and competition and reduce regulatory barriers for artificial intelligence. More specifically, Sacks has expressed criticism of censorship on tech and AI platforms, called for the integration of AI technology into warfare and national security tools, and advocated for AI to be included in fair-use laws allowing models to learn from most content published online.

AI Largely Absent from End of Year Legislation: While the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a handful of AI-related items, including the adoption of large language models for use at the Pentagon and adjustments to the Department of Defense’s AI workforce, AI was largely absent from end of year legislation. Even bipartisan proposals such as the Create AI Act and the Future of AI Innovation Act, which both passed out of committee, are not likely to be considered before the current Congressional session ends and will need to be reintroduced next year. Perhaps most notably, the Senate-passed Take It Down Act, which would criminalize nonconsensual deepfake porn and require companies to remove such images from their platforms, was originally included in the continuing resolution negotiated between Republican and Democrat congressional leaders, but its fate is now uncertain. Look for these proposals to serve as fodder for AI legislation next Congress, particularly the Take It Down Act, which was led by incoming Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX).

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