Abstract Sessions: Congress' Race to Keep Up With Artificial Intelligence

AI is all the buzz right now. In fact, the technology is quickly being integrated into our everyday workflows. Chat GPT is becoming a crutch for editing, grammar checks, and locating answers expeditiously, while software like Fireflies.AI is being widely used by corporate teams to transcribe internal and external meetings. These tools are powerful, efficient, and have become indispensable—and more are on the way. Every day, developers are discovering new ways to harness artificial intelligence and LLMs to solve common (yet niche!) pain points faced by both specialized teams and broader industries.

We’re in an innovation boom, and with that comes the good and the bad. This week on Abstract Session, Pat sits down again with Don Polese, Partner at Vectis Strategies and Capitol Hill veteran, to discuss whether our government is equipped to safeguard against the potential dangers of AI in the future. From Don’s perspective on the Hill:

“I will say about AI and other technology, Congress is pretty under-equipped, outside of a few really ingenious leaders that do happen to head up the AI task force.”

The type of attention our government gives to AI will likely be heavily influenced by the outcome of the 2024 Presidential Election—whether Trump or Harris wins. For Harris, issues like equity, workforce impact, accessibility, and labor concerns related to AI are top priorities. On Trump’s side, the focus is on censorship and ensuring a "free-market, open-book" approach to AI.

However, the winner of the election won’t be the only determinant of AI’s future. The overturning of the Chevron Doctrine in June 2024 will also play a significant role. According to Don:

“With the Chevron decision, called the Chevron Deference, there will be a lot more challenges. And I’m sure given the web of interest groups on both sides on every issue, people are going to be looking for every bill that comes out of the House of the Senate, and looking ahead almost immediately challenging that federal agencies are overstepping their bounds.”

Ultimately, the intersection of AI and government regulation will shape the future of innovation in the U.S. As Don and Pat explore, the decisions made today will determine how effectively we explore AI's potential while mitigating its risks.

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