Exclusive: How AI policy aligns with what voters want
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A new report card from the AI Policy Institute grades the legislative AI proposals that are currently gaining the most traction according to how they line up with U.S. public sentiment.
Driving the news: A survey of 1,118 voters conducted by YouGov Sept. 2 to 6., is the report card yardstick.
Why it matters: Politicians and wannabe presidential candidates are increasingly touting plans for AI regulation, but those policies don't always align with what voters say they want.
Between the lines: The AI Policy Institute advocates "political solutions to potential catastrophic risks" from AI. Its report card judged proposed AI regulation based on various attributes, including how the proposal adapts to advancements, how it discourages high-risk AI deployment, and how it reduces the proliferation of dangerous AI.
- The AIPI notes that current proposed policies focus on addressing immediate harms as opposed to more long-term existential threats of AI.
- Polling shows that voters want future-proof AI regulation that take into account unknown threats.
The big picture: Americans are consistently telling pollsters they they favor guardrails for AI, especially with regards to election security.
What they're saying: Voters "expect tech companies to be responsible for the products they create" said Daniel Colson, executive director of the AIPI.
Go deeper: AI policy has a lot of cooks
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional detail about AIPI.
