Not every member of Congress is as stupid as your average Republican— let alone Lauren Boebert. Ted Lieu, for example, simultaneously earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Stanford and then graduated magna cum laude with his juris degree from Georgetown Law. Bo Bo tweets— or someone in her office tweets for her; Lieu codes. Yesterday, the NY Times published a stunning OpEd he wrote about confronting the dangers of Artificial Intelligence. I think even Bo Bo could understand it and understand why it’s more important than the nonsense she wastes all of her time on.
The column begins with this paragraph:
Imagine a world where autonomous weapons roam the streets, decisions about your life are made by AI systems that perpetuate societal biases and hackers use AI to launch devastating cyberattacks. This dystopian future may sound like science fiction, but the truth is that without proper regulations for the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it could become a reality. The rapid advancements in AI technology have made it clear that the time to act is now to ensure that AI is used in ways that are safe, ethical and beneficial for society. Failure to do so could lead to a future where the risks of AI far outweigh its benefits.
But Lieu didn’t write that. (Neither did Bo Bo.) He explained that the paragraph “was generated in a few seconds by an A.I. program called ChatGPT, which is available on the internet. I simply logged into the program and entered the following prompt: “Write an attention grabbing first paragraph of an Op-Ed on why artificial intelligence should be regulated. I was surprised at how Chat GPT effectively drafted a compelling argument that reflected my views on A.I., and so quickly. As one of just three members of Congress with a computer science degree, I am enthralled by A.I. and excited about the incredible ways it will continue to advance society. And as a member of Congress, I am freaked out by A.I., specifically A.I. that is left unchecked and unregulated.”
A.I. is part of our daily life. It gives us instantaneous search results, helps us navigate unfamiliar roads, recommends songs we might like and can improve almost any task you can imagine. A.I. is embedded in systems that help prevent fraud on your credit card, predict the weather and allow early detection of diseases. A.I. thinks exponentially faster than humans, can analyze orders of magnitude more data than we can and sees patterns the human mind would never see.
At the same time, A.I. has caused harm. Some of the harm is merely disruptive. Teachers (and newspaper editors) might find it increasingly difficult to determine if a written document was created by A.I. or a human. Deep fake technology can create videos and photographs that look real.
But some of the harm could be deadly. Tesla’s “full self-driving” A.I. feature apparently malfunctioned last Thanksgiving in a car in San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Tunnel, causing the car to suddenly stop and resulting in a multicar accident. The exact cause of the accident has not been fully established, but nine people were injured as a result of the crash.
A.I. algorithms in social media have helped radicalize foreign terrorists and domestic white supremacists.
And some of the harm can cause widespread discrimination. Facial recognition systems used by law enforcement are less accurate for people with darker skin, resulting in possible misidentification of innocent minorities.
Private entities such as the Los Angeles Football Club and Madison Square Garden Entertainment already are deploying A.I. facial recognition systems. The football (professional soccer) club uses it for its team and staff. Recently, Madison Square Garden used facial recognition to ban lawyers from entering the venue who worked at firms representing clients in litigation against M.S.G. Left unregulated, facial recognition can result in an intrusive public and private surveillance state, where both the government and private corporations can know exactly where you are and what you are doing.
Last year, I introduced legislation to regulate the use of facial recognition systems by law enforcement. It took me and my staff over two years working with privacy and technology experts to do so— and building the coalition of support needed to pass this bill will take more time. Again, my bill is for just one application of A.I. It would be virtually impossible for Congress to pass individual laws to regulate each specific use of A.I.
What we need is a dedicated agency to regulate A.I. An agency is nimbler than the legislative process, is staffed with experts and can reverse its decisions if it makes an error. Creating such an agency will be a difficult and huge undertaking because A.I. is complicated and still not well understood.
But there is precedent for establishing a necessary agency to protect people from harm. How molecules interact with millions of unique human beings is a complicated subject and not well understood. Yet we created an agency— the Food and Drug Administration— to regulate pharmaceutical drugs.
Going from virtually zero regulation of A.I. to an entire federal agency would not pass Congress. This critical and necessary endeavor needs to proceed in steps. That’s why I will be introducing legislation to create a nonpartisan A.I. Commission to provide recommendations on how to structure a federal agency to regulate A.I., what types of A.I. should be regulated and what standards should apply.
We may not need to regulate the A.I. in a smart toaster, but we should regulate it in an autonomous car that can go over 100 miles per hour. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a second draft of its AI Risk Management Framework. In it, NIST outlines the ways in which organizations, industries and society can manage and mitigate the risks of A.I., like addressing algorithmic biases and prioritizing transparency to stakeholders. These are nonbinding suggestions, however, and do not contain compliance mechanisms. That is why we must build on the great work already being done by NIST and create a regulatory infrastructure for A.I.
Congress has been slow to react when it comes to technological issues. But things are changing. We now have more members who are fluent in technology because they grew up with it, and we also have members like Representative Don Beyer, who is pursuing a master’s in machine learning. Having more members who recognize the promise of this technology— and its potential harms— will serve us well as we tackle this challenge.
The fourth industrial revolution is here. We can harness and regulate A.I. to create a more utopian society or risk having an unchecked, unregulated A.I. push us toward a more dystopian future. And yes, I wrote this paragraph.
After reading Lieu’s OpEd, I immediately signed up for ChatGPT. To get started, I asked if George Santos will go to prison. It responded reasonably: “I'm sorry, I don't know who George Santos is and I don't have information about him. Without more context, I am unable to provide an answer.” I then added that “George Santos is a congressman who has been caught lying for weeks and has likely taken money illegally from a Russian oligarch. He's being investigated by the NY Attorney General, the Nassau County District Attorney, the Queens County District Attorney, the FBI and the House Ethics Committee.” This response came immediately: “If the information you provided is true, then it is possible that George Santos could face criminal charges and potentially be sentenced to prison. However, it is important to note that allegations and investigations do not always result in criminal charges or convictions. The outcome will depend on the outcome of the investigations and any legal proceedings that may occur. It's also important to note that the investigation process is usually long, and it's not possible to predict the outcome.”
This is going to be fun. Thanks Congressman Lieu! Last night I was shaken out of bed by an earthquake. I came downstairs and asked ChatGPT a series of questions. I asked what the most compelling passage in Genet's Thief's Journal is and got, in part, this response: "One passage that could be considered particularly compelling is when Genet writes about his experiences as a criminal and the sense of freedom and power he felt while committing crimes. He writes, 'I was a thief, and I felt powerful and free. I could go wherever I wanted, do whatever I wanted, and no one could stop me.' This passage highlights the theme of the novel, which is the celebration of transgression and the rejection of societal norms." On a roll, I asked what the most compelling passage is in John Rechy's Numbers and got, again, in part, this response: "It is again difficult to identify a single most compelling passage in the book, as the novel is full of powerful and evocative writing, but one passage that is often cited as particularly powerful and memorable is when the protagonist, referred to only as 'the boy,' reflects on the sexual encounters he has while hustling and the emotional emptiness that they leave him with. He says, 'Each night, each encounter, each orgasm, each climax, each explosion, each spasm of pleasure, each spurt of semen, left me emptier, more alone, more isolated.' This passage captures the sense of emptiness and emotional distance that the protagonist experiences as a result of his lifestyle and it also serves to deepen the reader's understanding of his character and motivations."
I was liking this-- at 3am-- and asked what's important about outlaw country music and punk rock music. First outlaw country: "'Outlaw' country music is a subgenre of country music that emerged in the 1970s and is characterized by its rejection of the traditional Nashville sound and its embrace of a more raw, rebellious and authentic style. One of the most important things about 'outlaw' country music is that it represents a departure from the more polished, commercial sound of traditional country music and a return to the roots of the genre. Outlaw country artists like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash, among others, drew inspiration from the music of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s and incorporated elements of rock, blues, and folk music into their sound. Another important aspect of 'outlaw' country music is its lyrics. The songs often deal with themes of rebellion, individualism, and anti-establishment attitudes, and they often feature characters and stories that were considered to be outside of the mainstream. This style of music resonated with many people who felt disconnected from the mainstream society and found solace in the songs' themes of freedom and individuality. Furthermore, Outlaw country music also played an important role in the representation of marginalized communities and in breaking down social barriers. Many of the outlaw country artists were from working-class backgrounds and sang about the struggles of everyday people, this helped to connect with a wide range of listeners and to bring attention to the issues that these communities were facing. In summary, 'outlaw' country music is important for its departure from traditional country music, its incorporation of different musical styles, its lyrics that deal with themes of rebellion, individualism, and anti-establishment attitudes, and its representation of marginalized communities."
I kept this going 'til almost sunrise but let me leave with the punk rock response: "Punk rock music is a genre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1970s and is characterized by its fast tempos, raw, distorted sound, and politically charged lyrics. One of the most important things about punk rock is its DIY (Do-It-Yourself) ethos. Punk rock musicians and fans often reject the commercial and mainstream aspects of the music industry, instead, they create and distribute their music independently, through small labels, fanzines, and self-promotion. This DIY attitude also extends to the live shows, where punk rock bands often play in small, non-traditional venues such as clubs, community centers, and even squats and house parties. Another important aspect of punk rock music is its political and social commentary. Punk lyrics often deal with themes of rebellion, anti-establishment attitudes, and social issues such as poverty, war, racism, and the working-class struggles. Punk rock also played an important role in the representation of marginalized communities, and in breaking down social barriers. Many punk rock bands had members from different racial, sexual, and gender backgrounds and sang about the struggles of these communities. Punk rock music also has an important cultural impact. Punk fashion, which includes clothes, hairstyles, and accessories, became an important aspect of the punk subculture. This fashion, which is often characterized by its DIY aesthetic, also served as a visual expression of the punk ethos. Lastly, Punk rock had a significant influence on the development of other genres of music such as post-punk, alternative rock, and Grunge. It also played an important role in the development of the underground music scene, and it continues to have a significant impact on popular culture. In summary, punk rock is important for its DIY ethos, its political and social commentary, its representation of marginalized communities, its cultural impact, and its influence on the development of other genres of music and the underground music scene."
On Tuesday, CNN reported that “Asia’s richest man Gautam Adani says he is addicted to ChatGPT, the powerful new AI tool that interacts with users in an eerily convincing and conversational way. In a LinkedIn post last week, the 60-year-old India tycoon said that the release of ChatGPT was a ‘transformational moment in the democratization of AI given its astounding capabilities as well as comical failures.’… The tool, which artificial intelligence research company OpenAI made available to the general public late last year, has sparked conversations about how “generative AI” services— which can turn prompts into original essays, stories, songs and images after training on massive online datasets— could radically transform how we live and work. Some claim it will put artists, tutors, coders, and writers out of a job. Others are more optimistic, postulating that it will allow employees to tackle to-do lists with greater efficiency.”