Nimitz Tech, Week of September 16th 2024
The role of big tech in our everyday lives is highlighted by the dearth of Congressional activity on technology this week. With only nine legislative days on the calendar before the CR deadline and the election, committees are doing their best to highlight the issues they find most important before heading into the lame duck. We’ve distilled everything down to the must-know information here and will be back in your inbox with hearing highlights as they occur.
In this week’s Nimitz Tech:
- Congressional Hearings: Congress will hold four hearings this week examining technology and innovation in defense acquisitions, the legal implications of artificial intelligence, aviation cybersecurity threats, and the roles and responsibilities of U.S. tech providers in securing U.S. elections.
- Business Meeting: The Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs will hold a business meeting to consider several bills covering AI, IT, cyber security, and more.
- Final push for KOSA: Parents and Senate lawmakers push for the House to hold a vote on the Senate-passed Kids Online Safety Act.
- Robotaxi Expansions: Waymo and Uber will bring autonomous taxi services to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia in early 2025.
- Meta vs. the EU: Meta’s online data scraping may violate EU privacy regulations.
Monday, September 16th
- 🚀 HEARING: “Fielding Technology and Innovation: Industry Views on Department of Defense Acquisition,”House Armed Services Committee. Hearing scheduled for 9:00 AM. Watch here.
Tuesday, September 17th
- 💻 HEARING: “Oversight of AI: Insider’s perspectives.” Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law. Hearing scheduled for 2:00 PM in 226 Dirksen SOB. Watch here.
Wednesday, September 18th
- 🛩️ HEARING: “Aviation Cybersecurity Threats.” Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Hearing scheduled for 10:00 AM in 253 Russell SOB. Watch here.
- 📜 Business Meeting: “To Consider Pending Legislation.” Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Meeting scheduled for 10:00 AM in 342 Dirksen SOB. Watch here.
- What we’re watching:
- S.4495, to enable safe, responsible, and agile procurement, development, and use of artificial intelligence by the Federal Government,
- S.4630, to establish an interagency committee to harmonize regulatory regimes in the United States relating to cybersecurity,
- S.4715, to require the National Cyber Director to submit to Congress a plan to establish an institute within the Federal Government to serve as a centralized resource and training center for Federal cyber workforce development,
- S.4651, to require agencies to use information and communications technology products obtained from original equipment manufacturers or authorized resellers,
- H.R.5527, to amend section 1078 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 to increase the effectiveness of the Technology Modernization Fund,
- H.R.7524, to amend title 40, United States Code, to require the submission of reports on certain information technology services funds to Congress before expenditures may be made.
- What we’re watching:
- 📍 Hearing: “Foreign Threats to Elections in 2024 – Roles and Responsibilities of U.S. Tech Providers.” Senate Committee on Intelligence. Hearing Scheduled for 2:30 PM in 216 Hart SOB. Watch here.
Thursday, September 19th
- 🔋 Hearing: “Fusion Energy Technology Development.” Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearing Scheduled for 10:00 AM in 366 Dirksen SOB. Watch here.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE WATCHING 👀
September 16th-19th
- The Fast Company Innovation Festival. New York, NY.
Tech News – In Washington
- Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is urging the House to consider the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a Senate-passed bill aimed at enhancing online safety for younger users by requiring social media platforms to prioritize their safety in product design. Despite bipartisan Senate support, House GOP leaders have hesitated to advance the bill, citing concerns over free speech and increased surveillance. Sen. Blackburn, alongside parents and medical experts, is advocating for the bill, emphasizing its potential to prevent tragedies like the death of a teenager who allegedly obtained drugs via Snapchat. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is reviving the Right to IVF Act, a bill that proposes mandatory insurance coverage for IVF treatments. Despite previous Republican opposition, Schumer aims to force Republicans to take a public stance, especially in light of former President Trump’s recent support for IVF insurance coverage. Although the bill is unlikely to pass, it highlights ongoing political maneuvering on reproductive health issues in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
- A U.S. appeals court heard arguments from TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, which are challenging a law that could ban the app in the U.S. by January 19 unless ByteDance divests TikTok’s U.S. assets. TikTok’s lawyer argued that the law violates constitutional free speech protections and that the U.S. government has not proven the app poses a national security risk. The law, signed by President Biden, would prohibit app stores and internet services from supporting TikTok unless divestiture occurs, amid concerns that China could access American data through the app. The Justice Department claims TikTok poses a serious security threat, while ByteDance argues that divestiture is unfeasible. A ruling is expected by December 6, potentially setting the stage for the Supreme Court to consider the case before any ban takes effect.
- Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan is open to staying on if asked by the next president, but she may face challenges in securing a second confirmation. Republican support for Khan has waned, with Senator Josh Hawley, who backed her in 2021, expressing mixed feelings about her record. Khan’s aggressive antitrust stance has earned her both praise from progressives and criticism from business leaders and Wall Street. Her term expires on September 25, but she can remain until replaced, making her future a critical decision for the next administration, especially with implications for companies accused of anti-competitive behavior. Khan’s agenda, marked by significant but contested actions against Big Tech, is viewed positively by figures like Senator Bernie Sanders but faces resistance from wealthy donors and some political figures who are skeptical of her regulatory approach.
Tech News – US
- Waymo and Uber, former rivals turned partners, announced the expansion of their robotaxi collaboration to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, starting in early 2025. The partnership, which began in Phoenix, Arizona, allows Uber to offer rides in Waymo’s driverless vehicles exclusively through the Uber app, while Waymo suspends its own ride hailing service, Waymo One, in the new cities. In Austin and Atlanta, Uber will manage fleet operations, including vehicle maintenance and cleaning, while Waymo will provide the vehicles and roadside assistance. The companies will share costs and revenues, though details of the financial arrangement remain undisclosed. This partnership comes after years of legal battles and rivalry, including Waymo’s 2017 lawsuit against Uber for trade secret theft, which ended in a settlement. Despite their contentious past, the companies are now working together to bring autonomous driving to a wider audience, building on their success in Phoenix and aiming to navigate the challenges of the robotaxi market.
Tech News – International
- Meta has paused plans to train its AI systems using user data from the EU and U.K. following pushback from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) and the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The pause comes amid concerns that Meta’s planned use of public content from Facebook and Instagram could violate GDPR regulations. Meta had notified users of its intent to use their public data for AI training, but privacy activists filed complaints, arguing that users were not given a clear opt-in option and that Meta’s process to object was overly complicated. Meta defended its actions under the “legitimate interests” provision of GDPR, but regulators questioned this justification, as similar defenses had failed in previous cases. Meta expressed disappointment at the regulatory intervention, arguing that it hampers innovation in AI, but the DPC and ICO emphasized the need for transparency and respect for user privacy in AI development. The pause is temporary, and Meta will continue consultations with regulators, with a potential return to the AI training plan under revised conditions.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
We trained these models to spend more time thinking through problems before they respond, much like a person would. Through training, they learn to refine their thinking process, try different strategies, and recognize their mistakes.-OpenAI, regarding a new AI model (September 13, 2024) (hyperlink here)
FUN
- 🏏 Bocce Ball Tournament. Tuesday, September 17, 2024. 12:00 – 1:30 PM
Farragut Square. Register here.
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