We need to take AI safety seriously.

When I was running for re-election in 2022, some of the first publicly available AI models were released. Many of us tried them out and experimented with what seemed like an interesting science project. These models couldn’t do much more than generate text, and they struggled to keep their facts straight. That’s where we were.

Here’s where we are now:

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly. Just in the last couple of years, this technology has evolved with the potential to revolutionize countless industries. It’s helping drive new research, creating new opportunities for growth, and in many cases, it’s making life a little easier for everyday Americans. But that growth is also creating real risk - a potential for harm to our workers, our competitiveness, and our national security. And that risk increases every day that we don’t take action to promote transparency and global safety standards.

Just think about this: AI tools could make it easier for researchers to find new breakthroughs in biology and medicine - and that’s great! But without guardrails, those same breakthroughs, or related research, could be used to develop bioweapons that could be used against Americans. In the wrong hands, advanced AI models could pose a grave risk to our national security.

And it’s not just biotechnology. AI has made it easier for bad actors to conduct mass fraud schemes and cyberattacks. And, it could hike up costs for consumers, too. Some companies are using these tools to engage in surveillance pricing schemes - that’s where they use your data to determine when you’re more likely to pay more for a product and hike up the price (think: if you need a plane ticket for an emergency). Like any new technology, AI poses real risks if we’re not prepared to handle it correctly.

So here’s why I’m writing to you:

We need global standards for safety and transparency when it comes to AI development. But if we’re not fighting for those protections, we’re not going to get them under this President. Just a couple of weeks ago, President Trump said that the only thing we need for AI safety is a “high IQ president.”

And last week, when Trump had the opportunity to talk directly to Xi Jinping and push for a joint effort on AI safety with China, all he did was push to rename AI to “superintelligence.” My Democratic colleagues and I told Trump to make AI safety standards a priority for Xi’s visit. But as we’ve seen, the White House isn’t taking our safety seriously. So we need to speak out and do it ourselves.

I know how important this is - I’ve been pushing for a transparent and democratic process to set international standards for emerging technologies as far back as 2020. With the revelations that these models have been rapidly increasing in capability, I called for immediate hearings with industry experts, local leaders, and impacted workers to figure out the safeguards we need in place to protect Americans. And over the coming weeks, I will continue working with my colleagues to make sure we get this right. But I need your help.

Contact your elected officials and let them know that this issue matters. We can’t put this off or ignore it like Donald Trump wants to do. We need responsible, sensible guardrails that will protect Americans while preserving the innovation that makes this country great. That’s what I will be working to do, and I hope you’ll be in this with me.

¡La lucha sigue! The fight continues!

Catherine

A personal note from Catherine Cortez Masto:

I am the product of my parents’ American dream: the granddaughter of Mexican and Italian immigrants, the first generation in my family to graduate college, the first woman elected senator in Nevada and first Latina senator in the entire country.

I have always believed that if you’re willing to work hard and play by the rules, you should have every opportunity to succeed.

But that’s gotten harder and harder. Thanks to Donald Trump and the GOP majorities in Congress, we are paying more for less. Critical programs our families rely on, like Medicare and Social Security, are at risk. Our fundamental rights are under attack and so are many of our communities.

I’m not giving up. I never will, and I hope you won’t either. This fall, we have a chance to win a Senate majority for Democrats and finally gain the power to block Donald Trump’s harmful agenda. I know we can do it, but I also know it’ll take ALL of us working together.

So please, if you’re with me, will you chip in now to help flip the Senate?

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