Rounds, Booker, Heinrich Announce Bipartisan AI Grand Challenges Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) today announced the introduction of the AI Grand Challenges Act, a bipartisan bill that directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an AI Grand Challenges Program.

Through this program, the NSF would administer prize competitions – with $1 million minimum prizes – to incentivize researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to address specific and measurable challenges to benefit the United States and serve the public good. Participants would be encouraged to use AI to solve problems across a range of sectors, including health, energy, environment, national security, materials science and cybersecurity. They are also encouraged to address AI system-specific challenges such as bias mitigation, content provenance and explainability. 

“The impact that AI has already made on our country is promising, but the potential it holds hasn’t even scratched the surface,” Rounds said. “The ability to make headway in the fields of science, technology and especially health care will be revolutionary and could even lead to the cures of many diseases. Grand challenges have proven successful in the ways to advance towards new scientific discoveries. AI advancements will improve the quality of life for all Americans. The sky is the limit.”

"Grand challenges and prize competitions can encourage creative solutions to complex problems using science, technology, and innovation. The time has come for a prize program to further encourage innovation in artificial intelligence," Booker said. "New Jersey has long been a hub of cutting edge research and development – from the invention of the transistor at Bell Labs in Murray Hill in the 1940s, to groundbreaking AI R&D at our companies and universities in the decades since. I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with Senators Rounds and Heinrich to help harness the promise of artificial intelligence to solve pressing problems to benefit the public."

“AI’s potential should be accessible to all Americans — not just a limited few in Silicon Valley,” Heinrich said. “I’m proud to cosponsor the AI Grand Challenges Act to ensure this emerging technology improves the quality of life for working families in New Mexico — from treating rare diseases to lowering costs by improving the efficiency of our electrical grid.” 

Grand challenges and prize competitions have been used for centuries to achieve ambitious but achievable goals. There are notable examples that demonstrate the promise of AI to address major scientific challenges. In recent years, AI has been used to predict the 3D structure of proteins, which may improve drug discovery and lead to better treatments and cures; to discover entirely new materials that may help to improve the efficiency of batteries and superconductors; and to deliver breakthroughs in medical screening and imaging to better detect disease. The AI Grand Challenges Act will build on this momentum and further support the development of new innovations to benefit society.  

Read full bill text HERE. To read a summary of the bill, click HERE.