AWARE Act of 2024
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (25 Sep 2024): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
What this bill does
The AWARE Act of 2024 (S. 5239) would direct the Secretary of Defense to track and assess military uses of artificial intelligence. Within one year of enactment, the Department of Defense would begin building a structured, regularly updated ledger of all its uses of AI-enabled weapon systems, targeting systems, and related decision-support systems, to be completed within three years. Within three years, the Department would also establish a recurring risk-assessment process evaluating each such system for dependability, cybersecurity, privacy, bias (including any tendency to escalate or deescalate conflicts), risks from being deployed alone versus in groups or swarms, and risk of civilian harm. Assessments would be updated annually or whenever a system is updated, newly procured, or subject to a new weapons review. The ledger would also note when these systems are shared, exported, or used by foreign governments or persons in ways that raise additional risk.
The bill primarily affects the Department of Defense, which would bear new administrative and reporting obligations, and indirectly affects Congress and the public, who would receive annual progress reports and largely unclassified submissions on the ledger, risk findings, and export-related annotations. The bill states it would not weaken any existing privacy, safety, or security protections.
The bill was introduced in the Senate on September 25, 2024, by Senator Peter Welch and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. It has not received a vote and, having been introduced in the 118th Congress, would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered further.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Timeline
25 Sep 2024
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Common questions
- What does S. 5239 do?
- The AWARE Act of 2024 (S. 5239) would direct the Secretary of Defense to track and assess military uses of artificial intelligence. Within one year of enactment, the Department of Defense would begin building a structured, regularly updated ledger of all its uses of AI-enabled weapon systems, targeting systems, and related decision-support systems, to be completed within three years. Within three years, the Department would also establish a recurring risk-assessment process evaluating each such system for dependability, cybersecurity, privacy, bias (including any tendency to escalate or deescalate conflicts), risks from being deployed alone versus in groups or swarms, and risk of civilian harm. Assessments would be updated annually or whenever a system is updated, newly procured, or subject to a new weapons review. The ledger would also note when these systems are shared, exported, or used by foreign governments or persons in ways that raise additional risk. The bill primarily affects the Department of Defense, which would bear new administrative and reporting obligations, and indirectly affects Congress and the public, who would receive annual progress reports and largely unclassified submissions on the ledger, risk findings, and export-related annotations. The bill states it would not weaken any existing privacy, safety, or security protections. The bill was introduced in the Senate on September 25, 2024, by Senator Peter Welch and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. It has not received a vote and, having been introduced in the 118th Congress, would need to be reintroduced in a future Congress to be considered further.
- Has S. 5239 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 5239. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 5239?
- S. 5239 was sponsored by Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 5239?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (25 Sep 2024).
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