Rep. Vince Fong and Rep. Andrea Salinas Introduce Bill to Further AI Education
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20) and Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06) introduced the National Science Foundation Artificial Intelligence Education Act of 2024 (NSF AI Education Act). This bill would allow NSF to award AI scholarships, especially when applied to agriculture, education, and advanced manufacturing. In addition, the bill would establish up to 8 Centers of AI Excellence at community colleges to promote AI education and research.
The NSF AI Education Act was led by Rep. Fong and co-led by Rep. Salinas.
“This bill will help future generations learn the advantages of AI and will benefit those in industries like agriculture and manufacturing in the Central Valley,” said Rep. Fong. “These resources will be for college students, both in their undergraduate and graduate programs, but the bill will also encourage AI learning in K-12 students and will keep America at the forefront of this cutting-edge technology. America is in a global competition, and we must prepare our local students to understand and develop the latest technologies to keep our nation strong and prosperous.”
“Artificial intelligence is much more than just chatbots and robots. In reality, AI technology has the potential to drive economic growth and transform our society for good,” said Rep. Salinas. “That's why I’m proud to introduce a bipartisan bill to help more Americans participate in this technological revolution. Our legislation would expand research on responsible AI education and focus on community and technical colleges as training centers for our emerging AI workforce. I thank Rep. Fong for his partnership on this bill, and I will keep working to ensure more Americans can benefit from the opportunities made available by artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies."
"Code.org has been working for more than a decade to expand access to computer science education,” said Pat Yongpradit, Chief Academic Officer for Code.org. “Now, the organization and many others are working to make sure that AI education is used safely, responsibly, and effectively by educators and taught to students. The NSF AI Education Act is a significant step towards ensuring that every student has access to quality computer science and AI education, empowering the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers."
“The App Association supports the NSF AI Education Act and the Small Business AI Advancement Act for their crucial roles in advancing AI education and empowering small businesses. The NSF AI Education Act will enhance AI research and education through scholarships, Centers of Excellence, and collaboration between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and NSF,” said Morgan Reed, President of ACT | The App Association. “These bills will help ensure that AI education and resources are available to all businesses and innovators, regardless of size. We urge Congress to pass these essential pieces of legislation, reinforcing the role of education and small business empowerment in the broader AI ecosystem.”
Background
This bill amends the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451) to bolster educational skills in AI through new learning initiatives and workforce training programs. Specifically, this bill would authorize NSF to award undergraduate and graduate scholarships in AI with a focus on applications in agriculture, education, and advanced manufacturing. It would also establish up to 8 Centers of AI Excellence at community colleges and area career and technical educational schools to ensure widespread dissemination of best practices.