By Senators Saxby Chambliss and Kent Conrad
The rise of artificial intelligence is intensifying the global tech competition, raising critical questions about the United States’s position as a leader in innovation. Will we maintain our lead, or will China overtake us?
The stakes could not be higher. This tech race will determine which country and which set of values will build our future. Could it be the U.S., which values expression, privacy, and economic empowerment, or will it be China, a country known for its brutal censorship regime, aggressive surveillance of its own population, and stringent control of the economy?
AI presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. in this race. However, some policymakers in Washington, D.C., are pushing measures that could stifle this crucial technology before it can fully develop. Proposals to restrict open-source models or establish stringent oversight bodies threaten to hinder innovation and undercut our ability to lead in this critical emerging sector.
Policymakers in Europe, a region that once stood as a stalwart ally of U.S. companies and innovation, also appear keen on handcuffing America’s technology sector. In just the past five years, Europe has passed 77 pieces of legislation impacting digital technologies, including several that single out our companies for onerous and heavy-handed regulations.
China has taken a different approach. It has outlined a vision to lead the world in AI by 2030 and is investing more than $1.4 trillion to become the global tech leader. If successful, China’s model of “digital authoritarianism” could gain global traction, challenging democratic values and freedoms.
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