2023 will be remembered as the year that AI became part of the national—and global—conversation. AI policymaking was the primary topic covered in this year’s Executive Briefings, though we also touched on several other policy issues. To wrap up the year, we want to remember a few highlights—and provide links to resources. AI Cybersecurity Broadband Expansion […]

Last Friday, European Union officials reached a broad agreement on rules to regulate artificial intelligence. Once finalized, the AI Act will establish a wide range of guardrails aimed at protecting consumers and mitigating potential harms caused by this rapidly emerging technology. Coverage of this development can be found from the Associated Press (with additional reporting here), the New York

Two quick highlights: Happy holidays—and thank you for reading! This Week in Washington  Article Summary Featured Podcast Microsoft

Since 2017, Voices for Innovation members have supported policies to close our nation’s broadband gap. This effort hit a key milestone with the passage of the 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which included significant funding to build out internet infrastructure and help Americans connect through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Unfortunately, the

First, ICYMI last week, please check out VFI’s latest blog, which includes a video and Q&A with VFI advocate RJ Naugle, who discusses his company’s Homeless Navigation Application (NAVApp). This is a great #TechForGood story. Yesterday, Microsoft published “Accelerating Sustainability with AI: A Playbook,” which provides a deep dive into ways that AI can accelerate climate progress.

Fair, free elections are the bedrock of successful democracies—and we need healthy governments for effective policymaking. Unfortunately, as described in a recent report from Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center (MTAC), we could see significant challenges to election integrity in the coming year—through the misuse of technology. In response, Microsoft announced its Election Protection Commitments and a

Earlier this week, the White House issued a wide-ranging Executive Order (EO) on artificial intelligence. The EO represents a significant step for the U.S. in establishing rules for the safe, secure, and trustworthy use of AI. While legislation is needed in many areas—such as data privacy—the EO addresses many aspects of AI; it sets safety

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate held its second closed-door bipartisan AI Insight Forum on Capitol Hill. The event was attended by many Senators as well as a range of academic experts, business leaders, and civic organization leaders. While members of the Senate continue to educate themselves about AI, they are also taking action, introducing

We’ve been highlighting a lot of news this year about AI focused on emerging discussions about policies aimed at making AI safe, secure, and trustworthy. Today, we want to spotlight a story about one transformative use of AI that shows the potential of this rapidly developing technology. In a recent piece in Slate, writer Milagros Costabel,

Earlier today, Microsoft completed its acquisition of video game developer and publisher Activision Blizzard, following more than 18 months of global regulatory reviews. The deal closed after receiving clearance from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the final regulatory hurdle. You can find coverage of this widely reported story in the New York Times, the Verge, Yahoo