Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent veto of California’s Senate Bill (SB) 1047, known as the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, reignited the debate about how best to regulate the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Newsom’s veto illustrates a cautious approach to regulating a new technology and could pave the way for more pragmatic AI safety policies.
An emerging body of research suggests that large language models (LLMs) can “deceive” humans by offering fabricated explanations for their behavior or concealing the truth of their actions from human users. The implications are worrisome, particularly because researchers do not fully understand why or when LLMs engage in this behavior.
I was excited to contribute to a group of over 20 prominent AI researchers, legal experts, and tech industry leaders from institutions including OpenAI, the Partnership on AI, Microsoft, the University of Oxford, a16z crypto, and MIT on a paper proposing "personhood credentials" (PHCs) as a potential solution to the growing challenge of AI-powered online deception. PHCs would provide a privacy-preserving way for individuals to verify their humanity online without disclosing personal information. While implementation details remain to be determined, the core concept warrants serious consideration from policymakers and tech leaders as AI capabilities rapidly advance, threatening to erode the trust and accountability essential for societies to function.
The increasing capabilities of AI have sparked an important debate: Should the "weights" that define a model's intelligence be openly accessible or tightly controlled? This article dives deep into the arguments on both sides. Proponents say open-weight models accelerate innovation, enable greater scrutiny for safety, and democratize AI capabilities. Critics warn of risks like misuse for disinformation or military purposes by adversaries. The piece examines recent developments like frontier open-weight models from Meta and Mistral, Mark Zuckerberg's case for openness, concerns about China's AI ambitions, and the US government's cautious approach.
The recent AI policy roadmap from the bipartisan AI working group in Congress strikes a thoughtful balance between promoting AI innovation and addressing potential risks. It lays out a nuanced approach including increased AI safety efforts, crucial investments in domestic STEM talent, protections for children in the age of AI, and "grand challenge" programs to spur breakthroughs - all while avoiding hasty overregulation that could stifle progress
I’m honored to have been appointed as the Sammons Enterprises Fellow at the Bush Institute. I will be focusing on education and workforce issues, including supporting several of the Institute’s initiatives. It’s an exciting opportunity and I’m flattered to have been selected along with Keith Hennessey , Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, and Robert A. McDonald.
Credentials have become the coinage of the realm as labor markets demand higher levels of skills and experience. What was once confined to high school diplomas and college degrees has now become an ever-expanding range of credentials offered by schools, post-secondary institutions, apprenticeships, certifications programs, and boot camps. Unfortunately, there has been little data on what credentials exist, how portable they are, and which employers recognize them.
The non–profit Credential Engine has taken the first step in filling this information gap. It recently released a report containing what is believed to be the most comprehensive count of credentials in the labor market, finding a staggering 738,428 unique credentials that include…
Workers who participate in the “gig economy” do not neatly fit into traditional categories of full-time or part-time workers. Some workers use side gigs to supplement their income and enjoy the flexibility of working when it is most convenient for them. Others are using this type of work as their primary source of income, but lack the employer-provided benefits many full-time employees enjoy.
That is what makes last week’s announcement by Uber and Arizona State University so significant. The new partnership gives their drivers flexible education options with 100 percent tuition coverage.
The evolving nature of work requires that we also evolve our system of training individuals for the jobs of today and tomorrow, and rethink the way we provide financial support. Income Share Agreements are a compelling financial innovation offering a solution for the students these new models serve.
By now, it is almost routine to see columns sounding the alarm about millions of existing jobs at risk of being automated. However, the real risk is that we do not have a system ready to equip people with the skills needed to fill millions of new and modified jobs that will result from the rise of AI.
John Bailey (EOP, DoC, DoEd) is a busy guy. As a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute he works on finding new ways to help “re-skill” individuals who have lost their jobs during times of economic disruption, whether because of normal business cycles, automation, or artificial intelligence. He is also a fellow at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative working on economic mobility and education issues. He also serves on a number of boards, including the Education Reform Advisory Council of the George W. Bush Institute. He also serves as a moderator for the Aspen Institute’s Global Leaders Network.
