Policymakers Address Artificial Intelligence
BU IN DC
The Pardee School of Global Studies hosted an alumni event to welcome incoming freshmen from the Washington, D.C., area on June 24.
POLICYMAKERS ADDRESS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Last week, the National Science and Technology Council released an updated National Artificial Intelligence (AI) R&D Strategic Plan to reflect changes in the field since the report was first released in 2016. The report includes a new mandate for expanded federal public-private partnerships. It also calls for better understanding of the legal, ethical, and social scope of AI, robust investments in federal research, and designing methods of human-AI collaboration. Congress also explored the public policy implications of AI this week, with a hearing on ethical AI in the House, and one on how algorithmic decision-making online affects consumers in the Senate.
BUZZ BITS…
- The U.S. House of Representatives continues to work through the annual budget process, passing five spending bills on Wednesday that would increase budgets for the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Science Mission Directorate, and the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities. The U.S. Senate has not begun work on its annual spending bills, making it unlikely a final spending package will be approved soon.
- This week, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual defense policy bill that lists artificial intelligence and quantum information as defense research priorities. The House plans to vote on its bill after the July 4th break.
- The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are seeking input on a federal research strategy to address mental health and suicide among veterans.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) has announced its fiscal year 2020 competitions for education research. IES plans to host eight competitions that address a range of relevant topic areas through the National Center for Education Research and the National Center for Special Education Research. While much of the funding call mimics last year’s topics and priorities, the current notice introduces two new competitions focused on the systematic replication of findings in education and special education research. Applications for all the competitions will become available July 11, with most proposals due by August 29.