[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3891 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3891
To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology to advance the development of technical standards for
artificial intelligence, to establish the National Program to Advance
Artificial Intelligence Research, to promote research on artificial
intelligence at the National Science Foundation, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 4, 2020
Mr. Gardner (for himself, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Wicker) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology to advance the development of technical standards for
artificial intelligence, to establish the National Program to Advance
Artificial Intelligence Research, to promote research on artificial
intelligence at the National Science Foundation, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Artificial Intelligence
Research Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. STANDARD DEVELOPMENT FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AT THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
271 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 22 the following:
``SEC. 22A. STANDARDS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
``(a) Mission.--The Institute shall--
``(1) have the mission of advancing frameworks, standards,
guidelines, and associated methods and techniques for
artificial intelligence;
``(2) support the development of a risk-mitigation
framework for deploying artificial intelligence;
``(3) support the development of technical standards and
guidelines that promote reliable, robust, and trustworthy
artificial intelligence; and
``(4) support the development of technical standards and
guidelines by which to test for bias in artificial intelligence
training data and applications.
``(b) Participation in Standard Setting Organizations.--
``(1) Requirement.--The Institute shall participate in the
development of standards and specifications for artificial
intelligence.
``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of participation of the
Institute under paragraph (1) shall be to ensure--
``(A) that standards promote artificial
intelligence that is reliable, robust, and trustworthy;
and
``(B) that standards relating to artificial
intelligence reflect the state of technology and are
fit-for-purpose and developed in the transparent and
consensus-based processes that are open to all
stakeholders.''.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL PROGRAM TO ADVANCE ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C.
271 et seq.), as amended by section 2, is further amended by inserting
after section 22A the following:
``SEC. 22B. NATIONAL PROGRAM TO ADVANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
RESEARCH.
``(a) Establishment.--
``(1) In general.--The Director shall establish a research
program with a national scope to advance use-inspired
artificial intelligence research and its use in a manner that
serves the needs of the United States, the Institute, industry,
the academic community, and such other entities as the Director
considers appropriate.
``(2) Designation.--The research program established under
paragraph (1) shall be known as the `National Program to
Advance Artificial Intelligence Research' (in this section
referred to as the `Program').
``(b) Activities.--The activities of the Program shall include the
following:
``(1) Supporting research necessary to operationalize the
goals of reliable, robust, and trustworthy artificial
intelligence.
``(2) Supporting research necessary to develop and
operationalize technical standards and guidelines that promote
reliable, robust, and trustworthy artificial intelligence.
``(3) Fostering development of artificial intelligence
applications that would enhance the public good.
``(4) Supporting research necessary to advance human-
centered artificial intelligence and examining societal,
ethical, safety, security, and privacy effects of artificial
intelligence development and deployment.
``(5) Creating and developing processes for the purpose of
advancing use-inspired artificial intelligence research and its
use.
``(6) Promoting exchange of personnel among industry,
academic, and the government entities.
``(7) Establishing and operating at least one test bed to
support the outside entities testing the degree to which
artificial intelligence applications and training data are
reliable, robust, and trustworthy.
``(c) Geographic Distribution.--In establishing the Program, the
Director may establish multiple physical campuses and a national
network of participants to avoid undue geographic concentration of the
activities of the Program.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $250,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2021 through 2025.''.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH
INSTITUTES.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall establish at least 6 research institutes to
serve the needs of the United States, industry, the academic
community, and such other entities as the Director considers
appropriate by--
(A) conducting research on longer-time-horizon
challenges in artificial intelligence research; and
(B) creating and developing processes for the
purpose of advancing use-inspired artificial
intelligence research and its deployment.
(2) Designation.--Each research institute established under
paragraph (1) shall be known as a ``National Artificial
Intelligence Research Institute''.
(b) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall establish the research
institutes under subsection (a) through the award of grants to
eligible entities using a competitive, merit-reviewed process.
(2) Eligible entities.--For purposes of this section, an
eligible entity is--
(A) an institution of higher education;
(B) a nonprofit research center;
(C) such other type of entity as the Director
considers appropriate; or
(D) a collaboration of any combination of entities
described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).
(3) Duration.--
(A) In general.--Each grant awarded under paragraph
(1) shall be for a period of 5 years.
(B) Reapplication.--The Director may approve or
disapprove reapplications from grant recipients for
additional grants.
(C) Termination.--The Director may terminate a
grant awarded under paragraph (1) for an
underperforming research institute, for cause, during
the performance period of the grant.
(c) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under
paragraph (1) to establish a research institute under this section
shall submit to the Director an application therefor at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Director determines
appropriate.
(d) Community Facility.--The Director shall ensure that at least 1
research institute established under this section operates an
artificial-intelligence community computing facility that is available
for use by entities other than research institutes established under
this section.
(e) Funding.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, the Director may, in each of fiscal years 2021
through 2025, obligate to carry out this section an amount that
is less than or equal to $50,000,000 multiplied by the number
of research institutes established under this section.
(2) Derivation of funds.--Amounts obligated to carry out
this section shall be derived from amounts appropriated to the
Foundation.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM GRANTS.
(a) Program Required.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall carry out a program to award grants to
eligible entities to establish traineeship programs and support
trainees in topics selected by the Director under subsection
(c).
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program established by the
Director under paragraph (1) shall be to increase the number of
individuals with advanced degrees through both direct support
and programmatic support.
(b) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, an eligible
entity is--
(1) an institution of higher education; or
(2) a consortia of institutions of higher education or
nonprofit organizations.
(c) Topics of National Importance.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Director
shall select a topic for the award of grants under subsection
(a) based on--
(A) the potential of a traineeship program in the
topic or support of trainees in the topic to affect
society positively;
(B) the importance of the topic to the economy and
security of the United States;
(C) the career opportunities for the graduates; and
(D) the need for workers in the topic with advanced
degrees.
(2) Initial topic selection.--The Director shall select
artificial intelligence as the initial topic for the award of
grants under subsection (a).
(d) Components.--A grant awarded under this section may include
support for--
(1) the recipient of the grant to develop and distribute
model curriculum that may be used by other graduate programs to
educate students in the topic selected under subsection (c);
(2) mentors to provide guidance for students within the
topic area; and
(3) tuition and stipend for students pursuing a masters or
doctoral degree.
SEC. 6. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION PILOT PROGRAM ON GRANTS FOR
RESEARCH IN RAPIDLY EVOLVING, HIGH PRIORITY TOPICS.
(a) Pilot Program Required.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility
and advisability of awarding grants for the conduct of research in
rapidly evolving, high priority topics.
(b) Duration.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall carry out the pilot
program required by subsection (a) during the 5-year period
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Assessment and continuation authority.--After the
period set forth in paragraph (1)--
(A) the Director shall assess the pilot program;
and
(B) if the Director determines that it is both
feasible and advisable to do so, the Director may
continue the pilot program.
(c) Grants.--In carrying out the pilot program, the Director shall
award grants for the conduct of research in topics selected by the
Director in accordance with subsection (d).
(d) Topic Selection.--The Director shall select topics for research
under the pilot program in accordance with the following:
(1) The Director shall select artificial intelligence as
the initial topic for the pilot program.
(2) The Director may select additional topics that the
Director determines are--
(A) rapidly evolving; or
(B) of high importance to the economy and security
of the United States.
(e) Applications.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a person seeking
a grant under the pilot program shall submit to the Director an
application therefor at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Director may specify.
(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall include the following:
(A) A brief description of the research the
applicant proposes to carry out with a grant awarded
under the pilot program.
(B) A brief description of how the research is of
an urgent nature.
(C) The general goals of the research.
(D) Such other information as the Director may
specify.
(f) Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant under the pilot program
shall use the amount of the grant to conduct the research for which the
grant was awarded.
(g) Summaries of Research Findings.--A recipient of a grant under
the pilot program shall submit to the Director, at such intervals as
the Director determines appropriate, a summary of the findings of the
recipient with respect to the research conducted with the grant amount.
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