Half a dozen Democratic senators introduced legislation on Dec. 12 that would require all Federal agencies that use AI technology to create an office of civil rights to manage concerns about the possibility of AI biases that could lead to discrimination.
The legislation – titled the Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic Systems (BIAS) Act – was introduced by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and is co-sponsored by Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore.
“My Eliminating BIAS Act will ensure that the government has the proper tools, resources, and personnel to protect these communities and mitigate AI’s dangerous effects, while providing Congress with critical information to address algorithmic harms,” stated Sen. Markey.
The legislation would agency civil rights offices to outline “actions the covered agency has taken to engage with relevant stakeholders, including industry, representatives, businesses, civil rights advocates” to mitigate discrimination.
The bill also would also direct Federal agencies to report their civil rights office findings to appropriate congressional committees to address “relevant recommendations for legislation or administrative action to mitigate bias, discrimination, and other harms from covered algorithms.”
“From housing to health care to national security, algorithms are making consequential decisions, diagnoses, recommendations, and predictions that can significantly alter our lives,” said Sen. Markey. “As AI supercharges these algorithms, the federal government must protect the marginalized communities that have already been facing the greatest consequences from Big Tech’s reckless actions,” he said.
