Ed Markey: “I rise today to discuss an issue that has been a dominant topic of conversation in this country: artificial…”

“I rise today to discuss an issue that has been a dominant topic of conversation in this country: artificial intelligence, or AI. Over the past 2 years, generative AI products like ChatGPT have exploded in popularity, while companies have invested tens of billions of dollars developing new AI models. The AI innovation race is in full swing, and I share much of this excitement. AI holds great promise with the potential to transform the way we live, we work, and interact with the world. But as with any race, there are winners and there are losers, and I am deeply worried that we are too focused on the potential winners of this AI race and we are neglecting those who are already being left behind, because although AI may be having a moment right now, we have been living with its impact for years. This is especially true for Black and Brown and immigrant and LGBTQ communities which have borne the cost of the ``move fast and break things'' mindset that pervades Silicon Valley. To understand why, it is helpful to understand how these AI-driven algorithms actually work, because these algorithms are really just supercharged pattern recognition systems. It is not all that different from teaching a dog a new trick. For example, to teach a dog to fetch, you gather a bunch of balls and treats and instruct the dog to run after and return the ball and provide feedback--treats--along the way.…”