Q&A with Senator Adam Schiff on recursive AI becoming a real national security threat, making AI companies retain training data, needing an FDA for AI, and more (Nilay Patel/The Verge)

Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, joined me to discuss AI regulation, free speech, and revisiting impeachment proceedings against President Trump. Chairing multiple committees with jurisdiction over tech and AI, Schiff shed light on the ongoing corruption in the administration, from the president's campaign ads funded by taxpayer dollars to his latest vanity project at the White House.

Trump's administration has resorted to invoking national security to justify their actions, a tactic Schiff highlighted in the context of the recent AI CEOs meeting at the White House. Despite the voluntary pledge to evaluate their AI systems, the tech leaders were privately advocating for stricter regulation. Schiff expressed concern over the lack of transparency in AI systems and their potential national security implications.

The Supreme Court's recent decision allowing agencies to disregard experts due to vague laws (Chevron deference) could complicate the implementation of new AI regulations. Schiff supports creating a dedicated agency to oversee AI, a proposal that faces legal challenges under the overturned Reagan-era precedent. Amidst the chaos, Schiff emphasized the need for a more formal regulatory framework and vowed to continue pushing for transparency and accountability in the White House.