Kamala Harris’s Stance on AI Regulation
5 min read
Last Sunday, President Biden announced he won’t seek reelection, endorsing Kamala Harris instead. With Biden backing her, Harris is now the Democratic nominee. She’s always talked a lot about technology and AI policy. Now, people are wondering how she would regulate AI if she becomes president.
Previously, Harris stressed the importance of balancing public protection and innovation. In a notable statement, she said, “In the absence of regulation and strong government oversight, some technology companies choose to prioritize profit over the well-being of their customers, the safety of our communities, and the stability of our democracies.” This quote reflects her commitment to making AI safer.
Kamala Harris’s Vision for AI Regulation
Kamala Harris has been very vocal about technology and its impact on society. Recently, she said, “In the absence of regulation and strong government oversight, some technology companies choose to prioritize profit over the well-being of their customers, the safety of our communities, and the stability of our democracies.” This simple statement shows her commitment to creating a safer AI future.
During her time as Vice President, she supported President Biden’s executive order for companies to establish new AI development standards. Now, with Biden’s endorsement for her presidency, we can expect a consistent approach to AI regulation if she is elected. This approach would likely continue focusing on government oversight, safety, and accountability.
Industry Perspectives and Continuity
Experts believe that Harris’s administration will maintain the current AI policies rather than dismantle them. Lee Tiedrich, a consultant at the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, said, “Biden’s endorsement of Harris could increase the chances of maintaining continuity in U.S. AI policy.” This continuity is framed by the 2023 AI executive order, highlighting multilateral collaboration through organizations like the United Nations and the G7.
Sarah Kreps, a professor at Cornell, also thinks Harris will stay the course. She noted that some in the tech industry feel the current administration leaned too heavily into regulation. However, she speculates Harris might adopt a less strict approach to win over critics, without compromising existing safety protocols.
Advocating for Wider stakeholder inclusion
Krystal Kauffman from the Distributed AI Research Institute believes Harris should broaden her policy-making net. She argues that Harris must include the voices of data workers, who often face poor pay and harsh working conditions, in the regulatory conversation. These workers play a critical role in programming AI systems, yet their struggles are frequently overlooked.
“We cannot continue to see closed-door meetings with tech CEOs as a means to work out policy,” Kauffman emphasized. Involving a varied range of stakeholders will help create more balanced and effective AI regulations. More voices at the table mean policies that better address the diverse impacts of AI.
Meta’s Latest Developments
Meta has launched its largest text-generating model, Llama 3.1 405B, designed to improve various platforms and applications. The model will be integrated into Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, offering enhanced AI capabilities.
Meta’s ongoing commitment to AI underscores the increasing importance of robust regulatory frameworks. With more companies releasing advanced models, the need for comprehensive oversight becomes even more critical.
Ensuring transparency and accountability can help mitigate risks associated with these powerful technologies. Harris’s administration will likely continue focusing on these aspects to ensure both innovation and public safety.
Adobe’s AI Tools for Designers
Adobe has introduced new AI tools for Photoshop and Illustrator, expanding creative possibilities. These tools are built on Adobe’s in-house AI models, making it easier for designers to realize their vision.
The launch highlights the broader trend of integrating AI into everyday tools, streamlining workflows, and boosting productivity. For artists and designers, these advancements can be game-changing.
However, as AI becomes more ingrained in various sectors, the need for proper guidelines and regulations grows. Policies that foster innovation while safeguarding users’ rights and safety are essential.
Facial Recognition Controversies
An English school faced criticism for using facial recognition technology without explicit consent. The U.K. data protection regulator formally rebuked the school, emphasizing the importance of clear consent for data use.
This incident reflects broader concerns about privacy and ethical use of AI technologies. Regulatory bodies worldwide grapple with finding the right balance between innovation and privacy rights.
With her focus on strong oversight, Harris would likely support stringent measures to ensure AI tech is used responsibly. Protecting public trust and safety remains paramount as AI continues to evolve.
Challenges with Stability AI
Stability AI faced backlash over restrictive licensing terms for their image model, Stable Diffusion 3. Customers were unhappy with the limits on image generation and the fine-tuning terms, leading to a temporary ban by CivitAI.
In response, Stability AI has adjusted its policies to allow more flexible commercial use. This scenario highlights the evolving landscape of AI regulation and the challenges companies face in meeting both commercial and ethical standards.
It underscores the necessity for clear, fair, and adaptive policies to navigate the complex AI terrain. Harris’s proposed approach to inclusive and transparent policymaking could offer valuable solutions to such issues.
Advancements in AI Model Architecture
Researchers are exploring alternatives to transformers, the AI model architecture used in many advanced systems. State space models (SSMs) are showing promise, offering computational efficiency and better data handling.
Mamba-2, a variant of SSMs, can manage larger chunks of data and perform well on language-generation tasks. This development could pave the way for more powerful and accessible AI applications.
Such advancements highlight the dynamic nature of AI research and the constant pursuit of improvement. Policies that support innovation while ensuring safety will be crucial in harnessing these technologies’ full potential.
Test-Time Training Models
Test-time training models (TTT models) have been developed to surpass current transformer models in efficiency. These models can process millions of tokens, potentially scaling to billions in future designs.
This capability makes TTT models well-suited for next-gen generative AI applications. Researchers believe these models could power more robust and efficient AI systems without overwhelming hardware resources.
Continuous evolution in AI technology necessitates adaptive regulation. Harris’s vision of regulatory stability and oversight could provide a conducive environment for such breakthroughs.
The Role of Government Oversight
Harris’s stance on AI regulation emphasizes the importance of strong government oversight. She advocates for measures that balance technological advancement with public safety and ethical standards.
This approach includes increased enforcement, mandatory testing, and disclosures for large AI systems. Ensuring agencies have clear policies for AI use is essential for transparency.
Maintaining robust oversight helps protect communities and democracies from potential AI-related risks. Harris’s consistent focus on these elements could shape a safer and more innovative AI landscape.
The potential presidency of Kamala Harris places a sharp focus on AI regulation. Her consistent advocacy for technology oversight suggests a future where AI advancements are coupled with robust safety and ethical standards. Key to her approach is broad stakeholder inclusion, ensuring that various voices contribute to policy development. As AI continues to evolve rapidly, Harris’s vision could shape a balanced path forward, emphasizing both innovation and public protection. With ongoing technological integration into daily life, her proposed regulatory framework aims to foster a safe, transparent, and inclusive AI landscape.
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