Rep. Jay Obernolte, a Republican from California and a former co-chair of the House AI Task Force, expressed strong optimism on Wednesday about the prospects of Congress passing substantive AI legislation.
He also announced plans to reintroduce the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with AI Act (CREATE AI Act).
The CREATE AI Act aims to make permanent the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot program, officially launched in January 2024. This resource is designed as a shared national infrastructure to support the AI research community and promote the responsible use of AI.
“I’ve been very vocal about my belief that we need to pass the CREATE AI Act,” Rep. Obernolte stated during a Washington Post Live event on Wednesday evening. “I am reintroducing that legislation here shortly to establish the National AI Research Resource to make sure that cutting-edge AI research continues to be done in academic settings as well as commercial settings.”
He explained that academic institutions may struggle to afford cutting-edge AI research. “We’re getting to the point where it’s so expensive… which would give up all of the benefits that go along with academic research,” the Congressman stated, adding, “So, we’re hoping to get that across the finish line this year.”
Notably, Rep. Obernolte holds a graduate-level degree in AI, making him the only current member of Congress with such qualifications. Leading the bipartisan House AI Task Force in the previous Congress, Obernolte’s goal was to create a detailed report outlining a proposed Federal regulatory framework for AI. The resulting 273-page report contained over 60 key findings and more than 80 recommendations, designed to serve as a guide for future Congresses.
“We are hopeful that this Congress will start following that list and checking off those different tasks,” he said, also noting, “We think that there’s some low-hanging fruit that is really obvious targets right now,” such as the CREATE AI Act.
Another goal that he considers “definitely achievable in the near future” is to restrict the use of AI tools to generate nonconsensual intimate imagery. Obernolte cited the increasing problem of teenagers utilizing deepfake applications to create such imagery, particularly of classmates or educators.
“You probably couldn’t come up with a high school that hasn’t had an instance of a student using AI to superimpose another student’s face on a pornographic body,” he said, calling it “devastating” and declaring, “That’s something we should all be able to agree is not okay … I think that that we should be able to get that across the finish line in the near future.”
Obernolte acknowledged that Congress “ran out of legislative runway last year” but believes the 119th Congress can successfully enact meaningful AI legislation. “I’m really optimistic, actually, about our ability to pass legislation and establish Congress as an entity that’s capable of doing what needs to be done in this space,” he said.
He also noted the bipartisan nature of the task force: “I’m very encouraged, and I think everyone ought to be, by the fact that our task force was broadly bipartisan, equally split between Democrats and Republicans, and we unanimously approved the task force report.”
From a legislative standpoint, Obernolte believes that Congress should approach AI regulations “as a lot of little, bite-sized pieces” rather than comprehensive legislation, trusting that the task force’s report furnishes those “bite-sized” recommendations. He also expressed confidence in President Donald Trump’s commitment to securing the United States’ leadership in AI. Specifically, he mentioned the “thoughtful work” dedicated to the White House’s forthcoming AI action plan. “I’m hopeful that when we get the new [AI executive order], that that will assuage a lot of fears,” he said.
