In Congress and in class: Congressman Don Beyer pursues a master's degree in AI.

• George Mason University is pursuing a master's degree in machine learning with Rep. Don Beyer, 73.
• Congress is grappling with how to move forward on AI.
• Beyer, a Democrat from Virginia, stated that the aim is to avoid repeating failures on social media.

Congressman Don Beyer, 73 years old and a top lawmaker on AI policy, prefers traditional note-taking methods using a notebook and pen over a laptop at George Mason University.

Enrolling in computer science classes at George Mason University was the breakthrough for the Virginia Democrat who found AI fascinating. He started with prerequisite classes and is now on track to earn a master's degree in machine learning.

Although Beyer can only take one class per semester due to his busy schedule, which includes voting on the floor, working on legislation, and fundraising, the classes he is taking are already benefiting him.

He stated to CNBC that as he takes more courses, he believes he has a better grasp of how coding functions in reality. He explained that understanding big datasets, identifying connections, and possibly dealing with unintended consequences are all part of this comprehension.

Beyer is a key member of several House lawmaker groups focused on AI, serving as vice chair for both the bipartisan Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus and a newer AI working group initiated by The New Democrat Coalition, the largest group of centrist Democrats in the House.

He was a member of Speaker Kevin McCarthy's working group on AI and is a leader on a bill to expand access to high-powered computational tools needed to develop AI.

Crash course

Beyer stated that his classroom time has given him a perspective on the inner workings of AI.

One of his daughters, who is also a coder, sent him a big book about debugging programs that was "very, very long." He's also learning how easy it can be for a small mistake to have a major impact on code.

Defending against the downside risks of AI will require a lot of effort, as technology is imperfect and mistakes can be both big and small, taking hours to find.

Congress is grappling with how to move forward on AI.

Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., who served on McCarthy's AI working group with Beyer, stated that he has briefly spoken with Johnson, R-La, and the speaker is interested in restarting the AI group soon after resolving more pressing issues such as government funding.

Obernolte mentioned several options for the House to consider regarding AI, including enacting digital privacy protections, establishing a new federal agency to oversee AI, or allowing each currency agency to handle the issue independently.

There are plenty of intelligent lawmakers on AI, as stated by Obernolte, who holds a masters degree in the field.

"Don is knowledgeable and passionate about this particular issue," he said.

‘Time is of the essence’

Congress is also focusing on the ease of spreading AI-generated videos and photos that appear real but are not, which could influence elections.

The 2024 election adds a sense of urgency to finding ways to reduce the impact of misleading or false media, as stated by Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., who leads the New Democrats’ AI working group.

Kilmer stated to CNBC that the spread of misinformation poses a significant threat to the integrity of public discourse and democracy, which is why he is pushing for measures to address this issue.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader from New York, stated that time is crucial in addressing AI-generated videos and photos. He believes that this issue should be tackled first when it comes to legislation and establishing safeguards in AI technology.

Congress may not act fast enough to keep up with the speed of new AI models, which worries Beyer.

Beyer stated that the goal is not to repeat the failures on social media, where for over 20 years there has been no regulation. Social media has brought about positive effects, but also has some concerning issues with misinformation and disinformation.

Despite disagreements over budget and the speaker's gavel, Beyer believes Congress may still pass AI legislation next year, before the 2024 election.