This week, Congress and the Administration both took actions on AI. On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a range of tech and telecom provisions that could be incorporated into a larger spending bill. These provisions include establishing a 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation so that the federal government can create unifying, nationwide AI policies. This proposal would need to be approved by the Senate and passed by both chambers before becoming law.
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Commerce rescinded an earlier AI diffusion rule that limited AI chip sales to many nations, including allies. At the same time, the Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security provided new guidance that strengthens some export controls on AI technology.
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This Week in Washington
- Broadband Breakfast: An amendment to revive the Affordable Connectivity Program with funds coming from proceeds from future FCC spectrum auctions was rejected by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
- POLITICO: House Energy and Commerce Committee passed a bill that includes approving a host of tech and telecom provisions, including a spectrum provision set to raise $88 billion by selling frequencies and implementing a decadelong moratorium on state AI regulation.
- CyberScoop: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will not disclose to Congress the number of employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) it has fired or pushed to leave.
Article Summary
- National Fisherman: Microsoft is awarding NOAA Fisheries researchers two years of advanced computing power and technical expertise to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model aimed at improving salmon habitat management in the Columbia River Basin through its Microsoft AI for Good Lab.
- StateScoop: Washington State Broadband Office leaders are warning that President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the Digital Equity Act would hurt the state’s efforts to achieve digital equity and harm its economic and cybersecurity postures.
- KPTV: A local fire department in Portland recently obtained an AquaEye, a handheld scanner that uses the latest artificial intelligence and ultrasound technology to scan the water for humans. This technology could take water rescue times from hours down to minutes.
- The Record: A cybersecurity incident forced Nucor, the nation’s largest steelmaker, to temporarily halt production operations at some locations.
Featured Podcast
- Bloomberg Technology
Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow takes a look at AI deals out of the Gulf, as President Donald Trump continues his tour of the region. Plus, Sequoia Capital partner Konstantine Buhler discusses opportunities in AI memory. And Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, explains what an end to a ban on supersonic planes over US land could mean for the future of passenger flights. (U.S. to Revoke AI Diffusion Rule, The Future of High-Speed Travel – May 14, 2025)