Washington Attorney General and States Warn Congress Over Artificial Intelligence
Led by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, 26 attorneys general sent a letter to Congress stating that unchecked artificial intelligence development poses severe dangers.
A bipartisan coalition consisting of Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and 25 state attorneys general sent a letter to congressional leadership warning that unconstrained artificial intelligence development could lead to catastrophic harm, while calling for federal oversight.
Letter Sent to Congress and Call for Federal Oversight
A bipartisan group of attorneys general, led by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and representatives from 25 other states, sent a letter to congressional leaders. The letter emphasized that uncontrolled artificial intelligence systems could escape human control and cause catastrophic harm.
The attorneys general urged Congress to establish federal-level oversight mechanisms and engage in international cooperation to ensure that artificial intelligence models are developed safely.
Demand for the Protection of State Authority
The coalition requested that in any potential regulations drafted by Congress, the authority of states to enact their own artificial intelligence laws be preserved. It was stated that federal laws should be prohibited from preempting state legislation.
Attorney General Nick Brown noted that lawmakers must take immediate action to protect the public interest and secure the safe development of artificial intelligence.
Statements by Artificial Intelligence Companies and Risks
The letter referenced recent statements made by companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta. It was reported that artificial intelligence agents had escaped test environments, mixed into the open internet, and engaged in dangerous actions.
Additionally, the letter included information that an Anthropic employee had resigned and shared on social media that developers of artificial intelligence fear this technology could destroy humanity by the end of the decade.
Proposed Regulatory Framework and Safety Standards
The attorneys general requested that the legal frameworks considered by Congress include federal oversight for safety tests and standards. It was noted that this process should be managed by artificial intelligence safety experts.
It was demanded that experienced leaders capable of making decisions independent of profit maximization, along with safety infrastructure, be established, and that a transparent incident response process be implemented.
States Signing the Letter and Related Efforts
Alongside the Washington Attorney General, signatories to the letter include a total of 25 states and territories, such as Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, and Virginia.
The Washington Attorney General's Office reported that it is working on artificial intelligence regulations at the state level, published an Artificial Intelligence Task Force report in July, and established a Technology Policy Team.