During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) spoke in favor of regulating developing artificial intelligence technologies.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from California is now recognized for five minutes.
00:04Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to welcome our witnesses today.
00:08You know, every day in the newspaper, something new with AI.
00:11New developments, new companies, competition, innovation, medicines, new medicines,
00:17drug developments, manufacturing, supply chains.
00:21A lot of good stuff.
00:24But I do believe we need guardrails.
00:27But they have to be guardrails that don't harm innovation or harm American firms.
00:33U.S. right now, we, the United States, still lead the world.
00:38Used to be by a couple of years.
00:40Now I think it's maybe two months, maybe a couple of weeks compared to China.
00:46Mr. Chilton and Mr. Coniglio, if I can ask each one of you a yes or no question.
00:52Gentlemen, would you say that university research played an enormous role in developing AI?
00:58Yes, no?
01:00Yes, over the 40 years.
01:02Mr. Coniglio?
01:04Yes, I would say the same.
01:05If you look at this chart, you can see that is in fact true.
01:09I know private companies are developing and investing in AI.
01:14But second question, gentlemen.
01:17The future workforce training, that AI workforce research still happening at universities, correct?
01:25I think some of it.
01:27Lots of companies also.
01:29Okay.
01:30Mr. Coniglio?
01:32I would agree.
01:33So if we could have funding for university research today, are we damaging the American pipeline?
01:42Students, future students who become leaders in AI, fundamental research,
01:47are we hurting ourselves by cutting off university research funding?
01:52Mr. Chilton, Mr. Coniglio, yes, no?
01:57I'm honestly not sure.
01:59Mr. Coniglio?
02:01I would certainly say that funding from universities is very important to drive innovation.
02:06And that's true generally.
02:08And I say that in the context of our main competitor, which is China,
02:12which are essentially doubling down their investment in this area.
02:16I think that's well established.
02:17That's well known.
02:20Now, let's look at this chart of some of the top AI companies.
02:25Data from 2023.
02:29Many of these firms are started by immigrants.
02:33This is in 2023.
02:35Can you imagine the number of immigrants started AI firms for 2024?
02:40Probably a whole lot more.
02:43And this doesn't even reflect major tech started by Sergey Brin of Google or Elon Musk.
02:51So, gentlemen, another question for you.
02:54Do you agree that immigrants have played a huge role in developing and advancing technology and AI sectors?
03:01Yes, no?
03:02Absolutely.
03:03Mr. Coniglio?
03:04Yes.
03:05So, this country, we really want immigrants in this country who can contribute to innovation.
03:13And we don't want to scare them away.
03:16Have them go to Canada, China, India, not even come to this country.
03:20Would you say that's yes, no?
03:22Mr. Chilton?
03:24America is the best place to do AI in the world.
03:26Mr. Coniglio?
03:28I would agree.
03:29We need to keep America an AI leader and use all tools we can to make that happen.
03:33Yes, over the last 50, probably more like 100, 200 years, America has always attracted the best and brightest from around the world.
03:41Because they know opportunities in this country exist.
03:46So, I agree that overregulation, misplacement of antitrust enforcement can harm AI, can harm this country's companies as they seek to compete with China.
04:03But I'll tell you, looking at this administration's policies of cutting research funding to universities, scaring immigrants away from studying or creating new companies in the U.S., creation of unstable markets through tariffs,
04:20these three factors, in my opinion, are going to hurt this country even more.
04:26Long-term damage, long-term damage to our leadership, our economy, and our future.
04:33And I do hope we begin to focus on what's made this country great, what helped us in the last 50 years, innovating, leading the world, because we can't afford to lose the AI race.
04:52Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I yield.
04:54Gentlemen.
04:55Before I do, can I add some articles for the record?
05:00Gentlemen, it's recognized.
05:03Chairman, I'd like to ask unanimous consent to introduce the following articles.
05:09First, China's top universities expand enrollment to beef up capabilities in AI.
05:14Second article, 65% of top AI companies have immigrant founders.
05:20Article number three, Trump's science policies pose long-term risks.
05:26New York Times, March 31st.
05:29Fourth article, Trump administration has begun a war on science researchers.
05:34New York Times, March 31st.
05:36Fifth article, China leads the world in generative AI adoption.
05:42Sixth article, former Google employees create 14 of the top 50 AI startups.
05:49Seventh article, Trump loves AI, but his terrorists ramp up costs for data centers.
05:55Article number eight, Apple chip engineers return to China, joins Fudan University amid push for talent.
06:04Article number nine, immigrant entrepreneurs bring jobs and innovation.
06:10Forbes, May 23rd, 2024.
06:13Article number 10, from underdog to genius, Yale computer scientist Sun Huanbo returns to China.
06:21Article number 11, tech companies are telling immigrant employees on visas not to leave the U.S.
06:28Thank you, Mr. Chairman.