Bill seeks to make U.S. leader in setting international standards for AI

The Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024 passed through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by a unanimous voice vote on July 31.

The legislation is aimed at restoring the U.S.’s position as the leader in international standards-setting for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other critical emerging technologies (CETs), and was introduced in February by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner of Virginia and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.

The legislation is in response to the rising influence of Chinese-government affiliated companies and organizations on international technology standards and practices. For decades, the United States led the world in developing new technologies, which allowed our country to set the standards that guided the use and development of the technologies around the globe.

In recent years, companies and organizations backed by the Chinese Communist Party have overtaken the U.S. in some key areas, which has allowed the Chinese government to influence standards in ways that further its own interests.

“I am thrilled to see this important legislation pass through the Commerce Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support,” Warner said. “This legislation clearly outlines steps we must take to reestablish our leadership and ensure that we are doing all we can to set the global standards for critical and emerging technologies. I look forward to a full Senate vote.”

Blackburn said the CCP’s mission has become to undermine the U.S. and its interests in the world by exploiting American deficiencies.

“As they ramp up their efforts to dominate global standards for emerging technologies, the U.S. must be a global leader in innovation, and that includes setting standards that reflect our interests and values,” Blackburn said.

The Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act would:

• Require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to submit a report to Congress that identifies current U.S. participation in standards development activities for AI and other CETs;
• Create an easy-to-access web portal to help stakeholders navigate and actively engage in international standardization efforts. The portal would include a list of relevant standards and information about how to participate in standardization activities related to AI and other CETs;
• Establish a pilot program to award $5 million in grants over five years to support the hosting of standards meetings for AI and other CETs in the U.S.;
• Create a report to Congress, during the third year of the program, that identifies grant recipients, provides a summary of expenses, assesses the effectiveness of the program to grow the number of standards meetings in the U.S, and shows the geographic distribution of event attendees.