Yesterday, Microsoft released a new paper on the current but rapidly changing U.S. generative AI landscape and its potential to drive substantial economic benefits. Increased labor productivity unlocked by AI could add as much as $3.8 trillion to the U.S. economy by 2038. The benefits will not just be economic, with AI having the potential to drive scientific breakthroughs and improve the health and well-being of Americans.
As Microsoft CVP and Deputy General Counsel Rima Alaily notes in a Microsoft on the Issues blog summarizing the report, “To fully realize the economic potential of gen AI, we must take a coordinated approach across industries, government, academia, civil society, and the workforce.” Collaboration that includes positive public policies for AI will help sustain our nation’s AI leadership and global competitiveness.
Thank you for reading! The Executive Briefing will be off next week for Thanksgiving. Have a great holiday! We’ll be back on December 6.
This Week in Washington
- The Hill: A bipartisan coalition of 32 attorney generals is urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) this year. The attorney generals sent a letter to leadership offices in the House and Senate that expressed their concerns about the negative impacts “prolific internet usage” has on kids.
- New York Times: President-elect Donald Trump selected Brendan Carr to be chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Mr. Carr, who has publicly agreed with the incoming administration’s promises to cut regulation, go after Big Tech, and punish TV networks for political bias, is expected to shake things up for the FCC.
- AP: U.S. regulators want a federal judge to break up Google to prevent the company from continuing to squash competition through its dominant search engine. The proposed breakup, appearing in a 23-page document filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), includes selling Google’s Chrome web browser and imposing restrictions to prevent Android from favoring Google’s own search engine.
Article Summary
- CNBC: According to data released by Menlo Ventures, between 2023 to 2024, business spending on generative AI went from $2.3 billion to nearly $14 billion, this equates to a 500% increase in spending. The report also found that Anthropic doubled its market share in enterprise AI, now reaching 24%, while OpenAI’s market share declined from 50% to 34%.
- Washington Post: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plans to launch an investigation into Microsoft’s cloud software business due to allegations of anticompetitive practices. According to a person familiar with the investigation, the FTC is preparing to send a demand for documents and other records to Microsoft.
- StateScoop: According to a report published by Corvus, a cybersecurity insurance provider, nearly 30% of ransomware attacks in the third quarter of 2024 resulted from outdated software and virtual private network accounts with poor cyber hygiene. Of the organizations that suffered attacks, many still used common usernames like “admin” or “user” and often lacked multi-factor authentication.
- Telecompetitor: The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) received over $72 million from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program to expand high-speed internet access and adoption in Native Hawaiian households. In addition to infrastructure investments, such as constructing a community digital innovation center, grant funds will be used to offer digital literacy skills classes to Native Hawaiians, purchase computers for class participants, and more.
Featured Podcast
- The Vergecast
In a world where many value technology for its convenience, competition, and cost reduction capabilities, it may feel anachronistic to use technology to build playful and interesting things just because you want to. Ge Wang, a Stanford professor in the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, takes a philosophical approach to what it means to be human amongst technology and using tech to create things that are motivated by want rather than practical utility. (“Making human music in an AI world”– November 17, 2024)