AI could disrupt the election. Congress is running out of time to respond

Artificial intelligence (AI) is causing chaos and confusion in US elections, with incidents such as a bogus robocall impersonating President Joe Biden and a falsified hot-mic recording aimed at sabotaging a Chicago mayoral campaign. Policy experts and US lawmakers are urging the need for new laws to prevent AI-generated misinformation, but there are few signs that Congress is ready to pass meaningful legislation on AI. Efforts to address AI-powered discrimination, copyright infringement, job losses, and election and national security threats may be undermined by congressional gridlock and competing priorities. The prospect of passing a comprehensive AI bill this year appears unlikely, and even if a bill is passed, it may be less ambitious in scope than initially anticipated. Despite ongoing bipartisan discussions and proposals for regulating AI, Congress lacks a clear plan for getting these proposals to the President’s desk. The House’s current state of division and preoccupation with other issues makes it difficult to advance basic funding legislation, let alone complex AI regulation. Failure to pass AI legislation may leave the 2024 elections vulnerable and risk ceding control to other governments.