Department of Energy AI Act

Summary · Congressional Research Service (nonpartisan)

This bill establishes programs related to artificial intelligence (AI) research and security at the Department of Energy (DOE) and provides statutory authority for certain related, existing programs. Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for DOE’s Frontiers in AI for Science, Security, and Technology program, through which DOE must research advanced AI capabilities for DOE missions. As part of the program, DOE must hire and train at least 500 new researchers. DOE must also carry out a program to evaluate and mitigate security risks associated with AI use. Further, DOE must select national laboratories at which to establish at least eight multidisciplinary AI research and development centers. DOE must establish a program to improve federal permitting processes for energy-related projects, including critical materials projects using AI. Further, DOE must assess and report on the growth of computing data centers, the associated electrical power load, and related risks and national security impacts. DOE must also assess counterintelligence risks posed by certain individuals who have requested access to national laboratories. Specifically, the assessment must address individuals from certain countries of risk who are not employed by DOE or a national laboratory and who have requested access to the premises, information, or technology of a national laboratory. The bill also provides statutory authority for DOE’s Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies. Finally, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must initiate a rulemaking related to the use of computing technologies by public utility transmission providers for interconnection request queue management.