Virginia congressman pursues master's degree in effort to better understand AI regulations

Don Beyer's car dealerships were among the first in the U.S. to set up a website. As a representative, the Virginia Democrat leads a bipartisan group focused on promoting fusion energy. He reads books about geometry for fun. So when questions about regulating artificial intelligence emerged, the 73-year-old Beyer took what for him seemed like an obvious step, enrolling at George Mason University to get a master’s degree in machine learning.

But first they have to understand what AI is, and what it isn't. 'I tend to be an AI optimist,' Beyer told The Associated Press following a recent afternoon class on George Mason's campus in suburban Virginia. 'We can't even imagine how different our lives will be in five years, 10 years, 20 years, because of AI. ... There won’t be robots with red eyes coming after us any time soon. But there are other deeper existential risks that we need to pay attention to.

Federal lawmakers have created several offices — the Library of Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, etc. — to provide resources and specialized input when necessary. They also rely on staff with specific expertise on subject topics, including technology. Then there's another, more informal form of education that many members of Congress receive. 'They have interest groups and lobbyists banging down their door to give them briefings,' Lowande said.

To help guide the conversation lawmakers created a new AI task force , as well as an AI Caucus made up of lawmakers with a particular expertise or interest in the topic. They've invited experts to brief lawmakers on the technology and its impacts — and not just computer scientists and tech gurus either, but also representatives from different sectors that see their own risks and rewards in AI. Rep. Anna Eshoo is the Democratic chairwoman of the caucus.

Source: Education Headlines (educationheadlines.net)

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