US Senator Mark Kelly has published a white paper entitled “AI for America.” It sets out a plan to avoid energy and water supply while building public trust while avoiding the labor market and energy and water supply.
Kelly virtually appeared at Arizona State University's panel discussion held Friday in Tempe to provide a detailed explanation of the proposal.
“Even if we build our first electrical grid, send people to the moon, or start the internet, we tend to put people first in our country.
“But I think there are a lot of risks here too. We were able to leave people behind without a clear path to a good paying job. On top of that, the infrastructure needed to support these AI data centers will put a real burden on utility companies.”
Kelly suggests that the AI technology industry pays to the “AI Horizon Fund” for workforce training and energy and water infrastructure investments.
“If companies make billions of dollars to build these AI tools, and use American infrastructure to do this and use American talent and American innovation, it makes sense to help strengthen the foundation that made all this possible in the first place,” he said.
ASU President Michael Crowe, who hosted the discussion, noted that new technology (even going back to writing and printing presses) is always extremely disruptive. However, AI is different.
“AI is the first time that these types of technology are both a disruptor and an enabler,” Crow says. “The tool itself can be incredibly destructive for all kinds of things, such as work, labor and learning, but at the same time it is a tool that can empower learning, help workers do new things and move in new directions. The tool itself has a double presence.
“How do you use this tool in the most constructive way?”
Julie Su, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation and former acting labor secretary for the Biden administration, said the first question was, “How does this make life better for workers?”
Su said other technological innovations like assembly lines have meant that workers were part of the debate, resulting in protections such as minimum wage and 40 hours of work week.
“It wasn't just innovation that happened. It was developing structures around it so that we could innovate and protect the people we work for,” she said.
Jason Goldman, the first White House chief executive during the Obama administration, previously worked for Google and Twitter, saying tech companies don't naturally think about the social implications of inventions.
“My experience within Silicon Valley is that when you're at the start of this boom, there's a passion that I believe this technology will build a better future. You believe it's good for people,” he said. “We encourage you to consider issues that have fever and are causing bugs within the system.
Kelly said that tech companies can't predict all outcomes, but can contribute to the AI Horizon Fund and pay for workforce training at universities such as ASU, community colleges and unions.
“Of course, there will be job disruptions, but AI also offers opportunities to create new jobs,” he said.
“When there's a new opportunity, we have to implement a training program and someone has to pay for it. And I don't think it should be behind American taxpayers to step through the whole bill.”
Crow said people want dignified work that contributes to society, and universal lifelong learning can lead to them.
“That's why I have access to what I need to be able to adapt to a fast pace of technology change throughout my life,” he said.
Additionally, the AI Horizon Fund will help you pay for the water and energy infrastructure improvements needed to build all the data centers that power AI.
Su says the AI for America Framework says companies can't think about return on investment.
“These data centers need what is traditionally considered public goods. And the question is, should public goods be completely covered by the needs of private companies unless private companies play a greater role in requiring themselves?” she said.
And AI will help solve the problems it creates, Goldman said.
“If you're creating a system with this incredible energy demand, the system you're building should help you with the possibilities,” he said.
“In contrast to abstract problem solving, we should be able to encourage the outcome we want.”
