Heinrich To Convene Roundtable On New Mexico’s Role In Artificial Intelligence

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Thursday, May 30, at 11 a.m. MT, in Albuquerque, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) will convene a roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the challenges and opportunities this transformational digital technology presents.  The event will bring together leaders from technology companies, universities, and our national laboratories to discuss how to prepare New Mexico's workforce for AI careers, utilize investments in research and development, and formulate policies to keep innovations on a responsible path.

"Our high-tech companies, universities, and national laboratories are the foundation by which we lead and maintain an advantage in AI. But the gap is closing quickly, and the United States will only continue its leadership position if it acts with a sense of urgency and purpose," said Sen. Heinrich. "If we defer AI development to other nations, important ethical, safety, and privacy principles will be at risk, which not only harms the United States, but the international community as a whole. New Mexico has the potential to play a leading role in AI that will take transportation, health care, manufacturing, and national security to the next stage of opportunity and create quality jobs in our state."

Earlier this month, Senator Heinrich introduced the bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act, which would ensure that the United States establishes a national strategy for AI and invest $2.2 billion in research and development, and the bipartisan Armed Forces Digital Advantage Act, which would modernize the Department of Defense (DoD) workforce by adding a recruitment focus and establishing military career tracks for digital engineering.

In March 2019, Senator Heinrich announced the formation of the bipartisan Senate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Caucus, in part to prepare the United States workforce for the opportunities and challenges of AI.