Comment by Phil Weiser

The Attorneys General of New Mexico, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington urge Congress to take action to ensure that federal government agencies cannot use artificial intelligence technology to engage in mass surveillance of Americans. Such programs defy bedrock constitutional provisions that guard against federal government overreach, protect free speech, defend political activity, and secure our religious freedoms. Allowing federal agencies, whether directly or through contractors, to compile, analyze, and use large caches of information about intimate aspects of daily life of every American without limits, oversight, or accountability undermines the public’s faith in our system of governance and is dangerous to our democratic institutions.