54% of polled registered voters said Congress should take “swift action” to regulate the technology in a way that promotes privacy, fairness and safety to ensure “maximum benefit to society with minimal risks,” according to the poll conducted for the Omidyar Network-funded Tech Oversight Project.
Meanwhile, 15% of respondents said that regulating AI will stifle innovation and put the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage, according to the poll shared with The Hill.
The poll also found that 41% of voters said Congress should be the driving force behind AI regulation, and only 20% said the tech companies, such as Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, should be leading the way.
This poll comes after Joe Biden’s administration announced it will invest $140 million into AI research and development.
As AI technology surges, both through powering automated systems and through generative tools, the government is grappling with a range of potential risks from inherent bias to an increased spread of misinformation.
Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke introduced a bill earlier this week that would require disclosure of the use of AI-created content in U.S. political ads.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) last month also unveiled a proposal to create a framework for AI regulation that aims to increase transparency and accountability.
As Congress mulls action, a joint statement from the Federal Trade Commission, Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last month pledged to enforce existing laws that aim to uphold fairness and justice in response to issues posed by AI.
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