Congress will not address artificial intelligence regulation until at least after the midterm elections, delaying action despite warnings from AI experts about potential risks. Geoffrey Hinton, a 2004 Nobel laureate known as the 'godfather of AI,' briefed lawmakers last week on the urgency of addressing AI's rapid development, including concerns about superintelligence.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., convened a bipartisan briefing with Hinton in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, calling for a ban on 'superintelligence' amid growing unease over AI's trajectory. The Senate is scheduled to meet for the next two weeks, but the House adjourned early, two weeks ahead of schedule, as Hinton testified on Capitol Hill.
Lawmakers face competing priorities, including funding the government by mid-December, which may further delay AI-related legislation. If either chamber changes party control in the midterms, Congress may not revisit AI regulation until March or April 2025. The delay reflects broader challenges in congressional action on emerging technologies, with lawmakers prioritizing immediate legislative demands over long-term policy development.
Hinton, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, emphasized the need for urgent action during his testimony. His warnings align with bipartisan concerns raised by lawmakers who argue that AI's rapid advancement outpaces regulatory frameworks. However, the pace of legislative response remains constrained by electoral and budgetary timelines.
The White House has not signaled imminent executive action on AI regulation, and President Donald Trump has not indicated plans to slow frontier AI development. Meanwhile, lawmakers in both parties have introduced new legislation to address AI risks, though none have advanced beyond the proposal stage. The lack of immediate congressional action contrasts with the urgency expressed by experts like Hinton, who has called for proactive measures to mitigate potential existential risks associated with superintelligent AI systems.