Policymakers at all levels of government are considering ways to best regulate AI as well as to access the benefits of this powerful, fast-developing technology. Earlier this week, the White House issued an executive order (EO) that in part directs federal agencies to leverage AI to improve research and drive better health outcomes for women. (Coverage from Nextgov/FCW can be found here, and the full EO is here.) We’ll be keeping a close eye on the positive ways that government uses AI to improve its own operations.
Thank you for reading. Enjoy the start of your spring!
This Week in Washington
- Associated Press: The U.S. Department of Justice announced a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the iPhone maker has maintained an illegal monopoly in smartphones that harms both consumers and app developers.
- The New York Times: President Biden announced a $8.5 billion federal grant to Intel to help the company develop some of the most advanced computer chips in the world. The investment in Intel marks a turning point in America’s industrial and national security strategy.
- POLITICO: Congress has begun making moves on tech issues with the overwhelming passing of the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, a data privacy bill, that builds on the anti-TikTok bill the House recently passed. This bill will prevent data brokers from selling information to “foreign adversaries” such as China and Russia.
- Broadband Breakfast: The House passed the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility Act (E-BRIDGE Act), making it easier for the Economic Development Administration to award grants for broadband projects in economically distressed areas and close the digital divide.
- FedScoop: The U.S. has reached a record high for research and development spending and now leads all other countries. Despite this, Biden administration officials are voicing concerns about the shortcomings of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and its impact on workforce development.
- Executive Gov: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced two new initiatives, the AI Forensics Open Research Challenge Evaluation and SemaFor, to help the government and the private sector boost their defenses against deepfakes.
- FedScoop: The Department of Homeland Security released its first-ever AI roadmap, highlighting ways the agency plans to or is already using AI, including assessing damage to buildings after disasters.
- Fierce Telecom: After nearly a decade, the Federal Communications Commission is upgrading the definition of fixed broadband service, which could influence billions in federal and state funding while stirring debate around “tech neutrality.”
- Nextgov/FCW: The FCC voted to create a voluntary cybersecurity labeling program for Internet of Things devices, checking off a major component of the Biden administration’s push to put labels on smart devices.
- FedScoop: The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced its new National Strategy on Microelectronics Research, emphasizing the need for an enhanced workforce over the next five years and the urgency in adding new talent to the field.
Article Summary
- CNBC and Microsoft: AI pioneer Mustafa Suleyman is joining Microsoft to lead the company’s Copilot AI initiatives and to advance other consumer AI initiatives and research. See also this memo from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
- Reuters: Nvidia’s Chief Executive Jensen Huang announced the company’s latest chip, the B200, which is 30 times faster than its predecessor and positions the chip maker in a dominant position in the AI industry.
- KXAN: A panel at South by Southwest (SXSW) discussed AI’s emerging role in fighting fires and how drones could be the future of wildfire detection and response.
- Daily Cardinal: A tribal community in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, will break ground on a $25.6 million broadband infrastructure project thanks to funding from the NTIA’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. This project aims to connect all of the houses on the reservation with high-speed internet by January 2026.
Featured Podcast
Microsoft
- Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith
Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press led to a new economy, which created a new sector of businesses, industries, and jobs. Generative AI is providing a similar opportunity today. In this episode, Brad Smith draws on the lessons from the printing press and supporting industries to illustrate how different technologies are coming together to create a new AI economy. Brad also discusses how Microsoft’s AI Access Principles foster both innovation and a path for new businesses by ensuring access, fairness, and responsibility. (The New AI Economy – March 6, 2024)