As AI Accelerates, Regulators

As AI Accelerates, Regulators Scramble to Keep Up

WASHINGTON — As artificial intelligence accelerates its march into American life, regulators are scrambling to catch up, racing to write new rules to govern a technology that touches nearly every aspect of society.

Lawmakers and regulators are grappling with fundamental questions: What should be the limits of AI? How can it be used to improve lives without infringing on rights? And who should be accountable when AI systems make mistakes?

“The risk is that we will be left behind, and other countries will advance, and we will be at risk of losing our competitive edge,” said Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, who has introduced a bill to establish AI safety standards.

Regulators are confronting a technology that is changing at a pace they cannot always keep up with. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal agency that provides guidelines for AI development, has identified 1,000 AI-related patents filed in the United States every month, on average.

“The lack of regulatory clarity has become a major issue for our industry,” said Dan Ives, an analyst at the investment firm Wedbush Securities.

Regulatory Frameworks

The Federal Trade Commission is considering new guidelines to ensure that AI systems do not discriminate against consumers.
The Federal Aviation Administration is developing rules for the use of AI in drones and other unmanned aircraft.
The Department of Transportation is working on guidelines for the use of AI in vehicles.

“The job of the regulator is to think ahead,” said Ian Bremmer, the founder of Eurasia Group, a consulting firm that advises business leaders on global politics. “But the problem is, we don’t know what the future is going to look like.”

Regulators are also grappling with the question of who should be held accountable when AI systems make mistakes. The answer, said Senator Warner, is “the people who are responsible for that technology, whoever they are.”

“If something goes wrong, who do you sue?” said Senator Warner. “The person who designed the algorithm? The company that used the algorithm? The person who used the algorithm?”

Global Competition

Regulators are also concerned about the potential for other countries to bypass American regulations and gain a competitive edge.

“China has a number of advantages when it comes to AI,” said Senator Warner. “They have a vast amount of data, and a highly educated workforce, and they are willing to put in place regulations that are more permissive than here.”

“The lack of clarity on the regulatory framework has made it very difficult for companies to make investment decisions,” said Senator Warner.

Resuming growth in the United States would require a clear regulatory framework, said Senator Warner. “If we are going to be a leader in AI, we need to have a clear vision of what we want to achieve,” he said.

“The future is not a fixed state,” said Ian Bremmer. “The future is a choice.”

Author's summary: As artificial intelligence accelerates its development, regulators are struggling to keep pace, grappling with fundamental questions about the limits of AI, accountability, and the need for clear regulations to ensure a competitive edge.

Hackernoon — 2025-11-27