"MS and Google Allegedly Bypass Salary Payments to AI Researchers in US Congress... Suspicions of Regulatory Control"

5 AI Companies Supported by AAAS Program
AAAS Dispatches 6 Researchers to Senate Offices

As the global frenzy over generative artificial intelligence (AI) sweeps this year, the U.S. Congress is reviewing regulations to address various political, social, and economic issues arising from AI. Amid this, reports have emerged that big tech companies such as Microsoft (MS) and Google are indirectly paying the salaries of researchers affiliated with nonprofit organizations that are reviewing these regulations.

Since the regulations to be introduced by Congress could soon impact AI businesses, there are concerns that these companies are trying to control the regulatory discussion process itself to shape the "playing field" to their advantage.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 3rd (local time), the political media outlet Politico reported that tech companies are supporting the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a Washington, D.C.-based scientific nonprofit, and influencing AI regulations. Founded in 1848, AAAS is a traditional science-related nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., and publishes the renowned scientific journal Science.

AAAS operates numerous programs that dispatch experts related to science and technology to the federal government and the U.S. Congress. In October, it established a rapid response team for the AI sector to support policy development in Congress, dispatching a total of six researchers, including five with doctoral degrees in AI technology. These researchers work as professional staff in the offices of senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, until the end of August next year, reviewing the need for regulations on various issues such as AI ethics, intellectual property rights, and human rights.

The issue is that a significant portion of the operating funds for AAAS’s AI rapid response team comes from tech companies such as MS, OpenAI, Google, IBM, and Nvidia. The salaries of the dispatched staff are also paid from these funds. AAAS stated that these five companies account for about 35% of the program’s operating funds, with the remainder provided by other scientific foundations, nonprofits, and individual donors. While AAAS explained this as the five companies having a considerable share, Politico evaluated that unlike most other technology-related programs run by AAAS, which are primarily funded by the federal government or scientific foundations, this time the proportion of AI-related corporate funding is high.

Notably, this is the first time Google and OpenAI have funded AAAS’s technology-related programs. Google, IBM, and OpenAI stated that their decision was to support Congress’s understanding and regulation of technology.

Julia McKenzie, AAAS’s Chief Program Officer, told Politico that companies cannot influence the hiring of researchers or their placement in congressional offices, but she acknowledged that the funding consortium for this program is uniquely composed of top AI companies’ funds.

The United States Congress building [Image source=Getty Images Yonhap News]

Politico highlighted that the idea for corporate funding of the AI program originated from Craig Mundie, a former MS executive with close ties to MS CEO Satya Nadella and currently serving as a strategic advisor to OpenAI. Mundie, an AAAS member, proposed this program during a dinner with AAAS CEO Sudip Parikh in July, and weeks later, AAAS decided to deploy six AI experts to the U.S. Congress within the year, Politico reported.

Mundie told the outlet, "This was entirely a personal initiative I led," emphasizing, "I never discussed, reviewed, or proposed this with any company I work for." He also explained that although he informed his "friends," their decision to support the program was their own choice. Politico reported that Mundie himself contributed a small amount of funding to the AAAS AI rapid response team.

In the U.S. Congress, officials emphasized that due to a lack of funds and personnel, this situation is unavoidable, while stating their commitment to prioritizing workers and consumers.

AAAS, tech companies, and Congress have stated there is no problem, but civic groups have criticized the arrangement as inappropriate.

Sarah Myers West, Senior Advisor and Manager for AI Policy at the FTC, analyzed, "Tech companies possess unprecedented vast financial assets and have long used them to tilt the playing field to their liking."

Tim Stretton, head of the Government Oversight Project (POGO), a U.S. civic organization, pointed out, "It is never a good situation for companies to basically fund congressional staff," adding, "Having staff work in congressional offices that enact laws benefiting the companies or industries that directly or indirectly fund those staff presents a conflict of interest."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.