A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced new legislation that would create a U.S.-Israel Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Development Center earlier this month.
The bill’s cosponsors, Reps. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, Grace Meng, D, N.Y., Dean Phillips, D, Minn., and Mike Waltz, R-Fla., said the center is intended to “further bilateral cooperation in AI and contribute to the advancement of this critical field.”
“Partnering with Israel and developing an Artificial Intelligence Research Center will help our generation lead in R&D globally,” said Rep. Auchincloss. “By investing in the technologies of the future with our allied partners, we can build an economy that prepares us to tackle the challenges of the next generation.”
The legislation directs the Secretary of State to work with the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies to establish a joint U.S.-Israel AI Center in the United States. The center will serve as a hub for robust research and development in AI across the public, private, and education sectors in the two nations, the bill’s co-sponsors said in a press release.
“Israel is our most important and closest ally in the Middle East, and we need to make sure that our partnership in joint-security also extends into emerging technology,” said Rep. Gonzalez. “We know that the development of effective artificial intelligence is crucial to both ours and Israel’s national interests.”
The legislation joins a companion bill in the Senate. The bill, introduced in June of this year, is sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Jacky Rosen, D-Nav., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
“To maintain our technological edge and enhance our competitiveness, the United States must act now to rapidly field AI systems. As the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence rightly points out, leveraging allied innovation advantages is critical to winning the AI era,” Sen. Rosen said when the Senate bill was introduced. “To help us stay ahead of the curve, this bipartisan legislation would enable greater collaboration between the United States and Israel – a major hub for new and emerging AI technologies. Together, we can develop AI technologies that enhance our national security and the U.S.-Israel relationship. I thank Senators Rubio, Cantwell, and Blackburn for their leadership on this legislation.”
