NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson announced Wed. the launch of the agency's public consultation process related to its forthcoming report to President Joe Biden on the risks, benefits and regulatory approaches to AI foundation models, as directed in a Biden AI executive order (see 2310300056). Speaking at an event hosted by the Center for Democracy and Technology, Davidson said the report will focus on pragmatic AI policies rooted in technical, economic and legal realities of the technology. The Biden order gave the Commerce Department 270 days to get public input and deliver the AI recommendations. Davidson said.
The Republican minority FCC commissioners and White House critics took aim of the agency's order Tuesday upholding the Wireless Bureau decision rejecting SpaceX's application for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) (see 2208100050).
Citing the need to speed up resolution of pole attachment disputes, FCC commissioners during their open meeting Wednesday unanimously adopted an order, declaratory ruling and Further NPRM revising rules to make for faster and cheaper broadband deployment. The item builds on a 2022 proceeding seeking comment on the commission's cost allocation principles (see 2203160031).
After a span of frequent unanimity among the FCC commissioners, this week brought a spate of dissents from GOP commissioners, with no votes at Wednesday's open meeting coming after dissents the previous day on an order upholding a Wireless Bureau decision excluding SpaceX from participating in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund program (see 2312130004). At the December meeting, Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington raised the specter of the federal government increasing rate regulation in dissents against the MVPD early termination fees (ETF) NPRM. They complained that the data breach notification rules were an attempt to sidestep the Congressional Review Act.
EU privacy law will change to address the challenges of AI and other technologies, European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) Wojciech Wiewiorowski told Communications Daily in a wide-ranging interview. He is urging governments not to wait for global privacy solutions to emerge before regulating AI but to use existing tools.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez wants to focus on empowering and engaging with underserved consumers and combating media disinformation, she said Tuesday during the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s inaugural Celebrating Latina Excellence event. A news release from her office called it “her first major speech.” Gomez was sworn in Sept. 25. In a news conference after her remarks Tuesday, Gomez said that her most immediate policy goals for the FCC are implementing continued funding for the affordable connectivity program and spectrum auctions authorization, both of which would require congressional action before the agency could act. “I am a firm believer in the power of competition to drive innovation that improves services and lowers prices for consumers,” Gomez said. “But competition only works when the market works”
Congress is expected to revisit surveillance reform early next year after House Republicans on Tuesday abandoned potential votes on dueling bills from the House Judiciary and the House Intelligence committees (see 2312070066).
President Joe Biden is expected to sign the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (S-2787), communications policy lobbyists told us. As expected, the House approved the bill by voice vote Monday night (see 2312110062). The measure, which the Senate passed in September, and its House Commerce Committee-cleared companion HR-5677 (see 2312050076) would give the FCC authority for 90 days to issue T-Mobile and other winning bidders the licenses they bought in the 2.5 GHz band auction last year. S-2787’s passage drew praise from some lawmakers and communications sector stakeholders, but they made clear it’s a stopgap measure, required after months of stalled Capitol Hill talks on a broader legislative package that would renew the FCC’s lapsed general auction authority. The White House didn't comment.
EU negotiators OK'd rules Friday night governing the use of AI, subject to final approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. Before the AI Act becomes effective, the European Commission will launch a voluntary AI Pact to help companies prepare, the EC said. Policy, consumer, digital rights and tech organizations met the political agreement with skepticism.
The Maine legislature’s joint Judiciary Committee is weighing whether a state consumer privacy law should allow a private right of action, exempt small businesses or limit allowed data collection to what is “strictly necessary,” according to a livestreamed work session Monday. Comments on possible provisions for privacy legislation are due Dec. 18, when the committee is expected to have updated draft language on dueling consumer privacy bills: LD-1977, which is similar to the proposed federal American Data Privacy and Protection Act, and LD-1973, which is based on Connecticut’s privacy statute.