The U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee is talking about how the nation should approach AI policy as the technology grows and becomes a part of everyone’s lives.
Congressman Tim Walberg, chair of the committee, spoke Wednesday at the body’s first hearing in a series examining artificial intelligence, titled Building an AI-Ready America. He said AI is quickly shaping how we learn, how we work, and how we prepare for the future.
“We must recognize that many existing education and workforce policies were designed for a different era,” Walberg said. “The goal should not be to rush into sweeping new rules and regulations, but to ensure schools, employers, and training providers can keep pace with innovation while maintaining trust and prioritizing safety and privacy.”
Walberg said the potential benefits of AI are significant, and if the United States doesn’t understand them and safeguard against the risks, it will be left behind.
“U.S. leadership in AI is pivotal to the nation’s economic success and security.”
Walberg said it’s important to develop clearer standards for independent work and more flexible benefit models that serve a mobile workforce. He added we must also understand how AI is applied in schools.
Testifying at Wednesday’s hearing were representatives of OpenAI, MagicSchool AI, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the University of Texas Law School.
