Lawmakers rattled by AI-launched nukes, demand ‘human control’ in defense policy bill

The possibility that an artificial intelligence system could launch a nuclear attack on its own has prompted House lawmakers to propose legislative language that would ensure that America’s nuclear arsenal remains under human control.

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, has proposed a bipartisan amendment to the Defense Policy Bill of 2024 that requires the Pentagon to put in place a system to ensure that “meaningful human control is necessary to launch any nuclear weapon.” “. He defines human control by saying that people must have the final say in selecting and engaging targets, including when, where, and how they are hit by a nuclear weapon.

It’s a concept senior military leaders say they already follow. In April, top U.S. Central Command AI advisers told Fox News Digital that their goal was to use AI to more quickly assess data and provide options for military leaders, but to let humans have the last word in tactical military decisions.

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However, the bipartisan support for Lieu’s amendment shows that lawmakers are increasingly concerned that the AI ​​itself could act on decisions as quickly as it can assess the situation. Lieu’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is supported by GOP lawmakers Juan Ciscomani of Arizona and Zachary Nunn of Iowa, as well as Democrats Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Seth Moulton from Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib from Michigan and Don Beyer from Virginia.

House Republicans as early as next week are expected to begin deciding which of more than 1,300 proposed amendments to the NDAA will get a vote in the House. Lieu’s proposal isn’t the only amendment to the AI-related bill — another sign that Congress has yet to pass anything close to a general bill regulating the technology. emergent, it seems likely to approach the question in a piecemeal way.

Representative Stephen Lynch, D-Mass, has proposed a similar amendment to the NDAA that would require the Department of Defense to adhere to the Biden administration’s February guidelines on AI on “responsible military use of intelligence.” artificial and autonomy”.

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Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican from Alabama and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has proposed a bill requiring the “responsible development and use” of AI, but some lawmakers want to go further. (Getty Images)

Among other things, these non-binding guidelines state that nations should “maintain human control and involvement of all actions essential to informing and executing sovereign decisions regarding the employment of nuclear weapons.”

“States should design and engineer military AI capabilities so that they possess the ability to detect and avoid unintended consequences and the ability to disengage or disable deployed systems that exhibit unintended behavior,” he said. -he adds. “States should also implement other appropriate safeguards to mitigate the risk of serious defaults.”

However, not all of the amendments are aimed at curbing AI. A proposal by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, DN.J., would create a US-Israeli artificial intelligence center to jointly research AI and machine learning with military applications.

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Lawmakers have several proposals for how the Pentagon should deal with AI, including one that would require cooperation with Israel. (STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)

“The Secretary of State and the heads of other relevant federal agencies, subject to the availability of appropriations, may enter into cooperative agreements that support and enhance dialogue and planning involving international partnerships between the Department of State or these agencies and the government of Israel and its ministries, offices and institutions,” the amendment reads.

Another, from Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., would demand that the Pentagon establish a process for testing and evaluating large language models like ChatGPT on topics such as their factuality and the extent to which they are biased or promote misinformation.

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The bill, as passed by the House Armed Services Committee last month, already includes language that would require the Pentagon to establish a process to ensure the “responsible development and use” of AI, and to study the possible use of autonomous systems to operate the army. more efficient.