Mark Kelly: "We will fall behind" without AI framework
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Kelly speaks at the summit. Photo: Ralph Alswang for Axios
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said the U.S. needs "the right framework in place to lead the world in AI" and pitched his new AI policy roadmap to make sure the country doesn't fall behind China at Wednesday's AI+ DC Summit.
Why it matters: Kelly, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, is attempting to position himself as a major Democratic voice on the future of AI policy.
Driving the news: The senator released his "AI for America" plan on Wednesday, calling for the creation of a trust fund — paid for by tech companies — to invest in workforce and infrastructure initiatives to help society adjust to AI's impacts.
- Taxpayers shouldn't shoulder the costs of all of the needed infrastructure alone, Kelly told Axios' Ina Fried.
Kelly emphasized the U.S-China tech competition in his pitch.
- "I think AI is going to be huge for our economy, and we have a competition here with another rather huge country out here, China," Kelly said.
- "If we don't have the right framework in place to lead the world in AI, they will — and we will fall behind."
Kelly said he went out to industry ahead of releasing this proposal, and that he hopes now to get Republican support on the Hill.
- As for plans to introduce legislation, he said that'll happen "eventually."
Context: Congress hasn't been able to coalesce around any kind of sweeping AI policy like what Kelly is proposing.
- Lawmakers did pass one deepfakes law this year, showing that targeted proposals can move if there's significant momentum and White House buy-in.
- In 2022, Kelly played a key role in negotiating the bipartisan CHIPS Act, which was aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing and competing with China.
- But President Trump and administration officials have attacked that law and rewritten its terms.
Another key area that policymakers need to focus on is the workforce and labor impact of AI's rise, Kelly said.
- "There is a possibility we could have millions of people put out of work by artificial intelligence. Hey, AI companies need customers. You're not going to have customers if people don't have jobs," Kelly said.
- Upskilling and retraining workers is the "biggest thing" that lawmakers should work on now, and that effort "also benefits AI companies," he noted.
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