Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash. ), Chairwoman of the Senate Commerce Committee, is advocating for the implementation of a new GI Bill focused on artificial intelligence (AI). Speaking at a forum in Seattle, Cantwell emphasized the need for significant investments in training Americans to adapt to the transformative impact of AI in various industries. She drew parallels between this proposed bill and the original GI Bill that was introduced after World War II. Cantwell expressed her desire to retrain and equip one million individuals, particularly through apprentice programs, to ensure their ability to thrive in the changing workplace. The forum also featured executives from Microsoft and Amazon Web Services who discussed AI regulation. Laurie Locascio, Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), was a notable speaker at the event, shedding light on the institute's essential role in advising AI regulatory discussions. NIST recently released a voluntary framework for AI management, which has gained support from industry groups. Locascio highlighted NIST's collaboration with the Labor Department on addressing bias in hiring practices and its grant to the University of Washington for studying human-AI bias interaction. NIST is actively developing a process for testing and evaluating AI models, involving stakeholders throughout the entire process. Ashley Llorens, Managing Director of Microsoft Research Outreach, and Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President of Machine Learning at Amazon Web Services, also spoke at the forum, highlighting the immense potential of AI. Both are members of the National AI Advisory Committee, established in 2022 to advise President Biden on AI-related matters. However, there remains a disparity between the ongoing policy discussions at higher levels and the general public's practical experience with AI. During the forum, a representative from the teaching profession sought guidance on academic integrity and ChatGPT.

Cantwell acknowledged the need for collaboration between the state legislature and teachers to address this issue effectively. In response to a separate topic, Cantwell mentioned a meeting scheduled with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to discuss their efforts in identifying deepfakes. In other news, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen (R) is requesting a U. S. judge to uphold the state's ban on the TikTok app, despite legal challenges claiming it violates First Amendment rights. TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, sued Montana, with a group of Montana users initiating a separate lawsuit, alleging illegal training of AI tools using their work without permission. Concerns about Beijing's influence in U. S. technology and politics have escalated following reports of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over Montana. Canadian leaders have urged Meta (formerly Facebook) to overturn its news ban in response to a bill requiring tech giants to negotiate payment for shared articles. The ban has hindered the dissemination of crucial information regarding evacuation procedures during the wildfires in the Northwest Territories. Canadian officials criticize Meta, calling its actions unacceptable and demanding a reversal of the decision. Meta spokesperson, Andy Stone, stated that Canadians can still utilize Meta's technologies to access reputable information, including content from government agencies and emergency services. Additionally, the Cato Institute will be hosting a discussion on Thursday at 2 p. m. evaluating how EU and UK tech policies impact American companies.