New Bipartisan Bill Aims To Stop Real Life AI Terminator

Those familiar with the Cold War know that it was human operators that circumvented and avoided several computer-ordered nuclear launches on both sides.

The lesson here is clear: computers cannot be trusted to handle our most destructive weaponry. …

Artificial Intelligence is no different in this regard—it may be better, it may be faster, it may be smarter, but it still has its faults, and I suspect it will always have faults and lapses in judgment.

A new, bipartisan bill from lawmakers titled “The Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act” aims to address some of those critical flaws and the impact of handing our security over entirely to silicate-based intelligence.

Introduced by Senators Merkley, Ted Lieu, Ken Buck, and Markey, the bill aims to stop the automation and full control of our nuclear arsenal by artificial intelligence or other silicate-based forms of intelligence.

Here’s what we currently know:

US lawmakers introduce a bill to prevent AI from launching a nuclear weapon
The legislation is called Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act.
American Department of Defense policy already bans artificial intelligence from autonomously launching nuclear… pic.twitter.com/uy4m4Txcpu

— The Story Teller (@I_am_the_Story) April 28, 2023

I joined @SenMarkey and @RepTedLieu to introduce the Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act. AI shouldn’t be launching nuclear weapons. That’s common sense. https://t.co/yhXSmk7PqD

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) April 28, 2023

The Epoch Times provided this quote from Rep. Ken Buck:

“While U.S. military use of AI can be appropriate for enhancing national security purposes, use of AI for deploying nuclear weapons without a human chain of command and control is reckless, dangerous, and should be prohibited,” Buck said in a prepared statement.

“I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation to ensure that human beings, not machines, have the final say over the most critical and sensitive military decisions.”

"As we live in an increasingly digital age, we need to ensure that humans hold the power alone to command, control, and launch nuclear weapons—not robots," said Sen. Ed Markey, introducing the Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act.https://t.co/O0sIVobuS7

— Shahriyar Gourgi (@ShahriyarGourgi) April 28, 2023

To avert AI from starting a nuclear war- @SenMarkey and Representatives @RepTedLieu , @RepDonBeyer and @RepKenBuck introduced a bill called Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act that will https://t.co/q4a0clJDFp

— AI Leaks (@AILeaksNews) May 1, 2023

Ars Technica explains:

The new bill builds on existing US Department of Defense policy, which states that in all cases, “the United States will maintain a human ‘in the loop’ for all actions critical to informing and executing decisions by the President to initiate and terminate nuclear weapon employment.”

The new bill aims to codify the Defense Department principle into law, and it also follows the recommendation of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, which called for the US to affirm its policy that only human beings can authorize the employment of nuclear weapons.