Globally, the release of DeepSeek by a Chinese startup raised important economic and geopolitical issues. On the one hand, it took pundits by surprise, sending shockwaves through the U.S. stock market. On the other, it elevated narratives about the national security threats of Chinese dominance in AI, prompting Silicon Valley venture capitalists such as Marc Andreesen to describe it as AI’s Sputnik Moment.  

Last month was a pivotal time in American politics with significant implications for AI policy. The outcome of the elections signals significant shifts in the regulation of AI in the U.S. and beyond. In particular, the incoming administration’s desire to roll back current nascent regulations is guaranteed to shift the balance of power, control, and policy away from public advocacy toward corporate interest. A rollback on AI regulation is guaranteed to also thwart the safe development of AI systems even beyond current levels. A few developments are notable in this regard.

It is with great excitement that we release our first Newsletter on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Academic Alliance for AI Policy, whose mission, as outlined in its manifesto and captured in its Charter, is to facilitate policy research and build capacity among academics, reach out to local and national policy makers, and engage with media and the public on AI-related issues. The launch of the Newsletter is an important element in pursuing this mission.

In an article for Cybernews, Dr. Ekbia commented on a recent announcement that confirmed Meta uses Facebook and Instagram users’ posts to train its AI models. He notes that attempts to regulate how companies incorporate user data into their AI models have faced powerful opposition across the United States.

If passed, bill S.2730 would ban the distribution of deceptive or fraudulent synthetic media messages which depict a candidate or political party set to appear on the state or local ballot within 90 days of an election. This week, Dr. Hamid Ekbia traveled to Massachusetts to provide testimony supporting the bill on behalf of AAAIP.

These regulations come as the U.S. Congress remains in the early stages of the process to set appropriate guardrails. According to Dr. Ekbia, director of the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute at Syracuse University and the leader of the Academic Alliance for AI Policy, the EU law “is certain to put pressure on other countries, especially the U.S., to come up with their own regulations. The question is, what type of regulation? Big players are going to put pressure on the Congress to ‘compensate’ for the EU’s constraint in the name of ‘innovation.’”

In the keynote presentation, Dr. Burnett will discuss how to enable diverse individuals to assess an AI agent’s “goodness” according to their own needs. The conference will take place March 18-21 in Greenville, South Carolina.

The Autonomous Systems Policy Institute (ASPI), housed in the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, recently launched the Academic Alliance for AI Policy—a multi-university academic advisory body formed to serve as a resource for lawmakers, policymakers and others seeking to regulate and better understand AI.

The Academic Alliance for Artificial Intelligence Policy (AAAIP) officially launched on October 27, 2023 at the AI Policy Symposium in Washington, D.C. The event welcomed researchers, academic leaders, policymakers and journalists from across the nation for discussions about innovations, vulnerabilities and the future of artificial intelligence.

The event served as the venue to launch the Academic Alliance for AI Policy, a cross-institutional academic advisory body formed to serve as a resource for lawmakers, policymakers and others seeking to regulate and better understand AI. Hamid Ekbia, director of ASPI and a University Professor, will lead the alliance.