S. 5493, AI Development Moratorium & Regulatory Monopoly. Quorum's AI analysis reads it as a trade-off: gains for some, costs for others.
S. 5493 · Mixed
What it does
This bill creates a new Department of Artificial Intelligence with authority to impose a mandatory pause on development of advanced AI systems (those trained on 10^25 computing operations or more) until the department is fully staffed and has written safety rules. It also bans the development, deployment, or possession of artificial superintelligence or AI systems with 'superintelligence precursor characteristics' (like self-modification, deception, or ability to access secured systems without authorization). Violators face criminal penalties up to 20 years imprisonment, industry bans, charter revocation, and forfeiture of intellectual property and assets.
The analysis did not isolate a single beneficiary class.
The trade-off
The Secretary's discretion to define 'superintelligence precursor characteristics' is nearly unlimited. Section 3(6) lists examples (self-modification, deception, securing infrastructure), but the Secretary can identify others. This gives one official power to halt any advanced AI project deemed to exhibit characteristics the Secretary considers precursor-like, with limited appeal rights for polic
The analysis put a high warning level on this bill. Transparency scores 65%, and the analysis found no provisions unrelated to the bill's subject.
Who is behind it
Filed by Bernie Sanders.
The week in bills
One email, Sunday: what Congress passed, what it changed, and who paid.
One link arrives to confirm the address. It is used for this email and nothing else, and every issue carries an unsubscribe link.