With the AI hearing this week, it's important to remember that Congress defunded its science and tech advisory function, the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), in 1995, and operated without scientific and technical expertise and foresight for over 20 years!
And so here we are. Our lack of AI governance -- and the clear and present risks this poses -- is a consequence of this blindspot.
We need to use this moment not only to thoughtfully regulate AI but also to make sure this gross misalignment between government and industry is remedied once and for all. Simply put, Congress needs to be equipped to legislate the issues of our time on time.
(For policy folks: Recent efforts to make STAA the new OTA are notable but IMO insufficient given the centrality of science and technology to society.)