The House Committee on Homeland Security has advanced a bill sponsored by Congressman August Pfluger, who represents Texas’ 11th district in the U.S. Congress. The Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act seeks to address terror threats stemming from online radicalization and requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct annual assessments regarding terrorism threats posed by groups such as ISIS and al Qaeda, specifically focusing on their use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for terrorist activities.
Congressman Pfluger highlighted findings from a recent Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence hearing that examined how foreign terrorist organizations utilize GenAI to recruit and radicalize individuals through the internet. According to Pfluger, these organizations are producing convincing propaganda videos using GenAI technology to manipulate potential recruits, and have even established AI “workshops” to train their members.
“My legislation would require DHS to conduct annual assessments on the terrorism threats posed to the United States by terrorist organizations utilizing or attempting to utilize generative artificial intelligence applications,” said Rep. Pfluger during remarks prepared for delivery. He continued, “This bill is crucial right now to respond to the emerging threats of tomorrow. The use of GenAI is on the rise, with new models coming online more and more frequently.”
He also noted that the act would give DHS flexibility in its assessments and allow a full year after enactment for coordination with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). “This ANS will not only provide flexibility for DHS to focus on the use of GenAI, including when it is incorporated into systems outside of applications like ChatGPT, but also grants the Department a full year after enactment to develop and coordinate the report with ODNI, allowing for necessary resources and staff sharing to fulfill the bill’s requirements.”
Pfluger expressed appreciation for his colleagues’ support: “I thank my colleagues for advancing this legislation, and I urge my Republican and Democrat colleagues to support this legislation.”
August Pfluger has served as U.S. Representative since 2021 after replacing Mike Conaway, following his victory over Jon Mark Hogg in 2020 where he secured nearly 80 percent of votes.
https://ballotpedia.org/August_Pfluger
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