Federally proposed bill promotes Energy Dept.’s use of AI in energy, national security, science

A newly introduced bill on Capitol Hill aims to advance America’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) by establishing a program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would promote the department’s use of the technology in its work in energy, national security, and science.

“As AI technology takes the world by storm, the United States needs to meet the moment quickly and effectively before our adversaries do,” said U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), who on July 10 sponsored the bipartisan Department of Energy AI Act, S. 4664.

Among several provisions, the proposed bill would direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to initiate a rulemaking for the use of advanced computing technologies to expedite the interconnection queue process.

Specifically, not later than 18 months after the bill was enacted, FERC would initiate a rulemaking to revise the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Procedures to require public utility transmission providers to share and employ queue management best practices with respect to the use of computing technologies — such as AI, machine learning, or automation — in evaluating and processing interconnection requests.

The goal would be to expedite study results with respect to those requests, according to the text of the bill.

The DOE would also be required to study the growth of computing data centers and the electrical power load under the measure.

And since the DOE already develops cutting-edge AI models, such as those used to address critical material issues and emerging nuclear security missions, the bill would build upon that work by authorizing the Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security, and Technology (FASST) initiative at DOE.

A network of AI research clusters also would be established, built on DOE’s existing ecosystem at the 17 National Laboratories and 35 user facilities it oversees.

“The DOE and its network of National Laboratories are ready and able to bring our nation to the next level of scientific discovery and global competitiveness through the innovation of safe and responsible AI,” said Manchin, chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Deploying our existing lab infrastructure and scientific expertise for AI instead of starting from scratch will also safeguard taxpayer dollars and allow for us to move quickly.”

Manchin said the bill would also leverage the DOE’s scientific workforce and advanced computing resources and establish an AI risk evaluation and mitigation program.

At the same time, the DOE would be required to develop a strategic plan with specific short-term and long-term goals to advance applications in AI for science, energy, and national security, according to the bill’s text.

“Artificial Intelligence has the potential to help the Department of Energy and our National Labs accomplish enormous challenges in the fields of science and technology and offer capabilities to streamline permitting for large-scale energy and critical mineral projects in Alaska,” said U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who cosponsored the bill.

“This legislation will enable the department to harness these emerging technologies so that DOE can be on the front foot to respond to Alaska and America’s science and technological needs,” she said.

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