TechNet, a national network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, has led a coalition of technology organizations urging the House to pass the CREATE AI Act before the end of the 118th Congress. The legislation aims to establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) as a shared research infrastructure, providing AI researchers and students with access to necessary resources, data, and tools for developing safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence.

The CREATE AI Act was introduced by Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA). In their letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the coalition emphasized the importance of codifying NAIRR to maintain America's leadership in responsible AI development.

“We believe codifying the NAIRR is vital to ensure America remains the global leader in responsible AI development,” stated the letter. “The impact of the NAIRR will be to fundamentally and positively ‘transform the U.S. national AI research ecosystem.’ Such a transformation is necessary to increase the competitiveness of American entrepreneurs and startups and empower smaller public universities and community colleges to provide the necessary hands-on training for students to succeed in our rapidly changing economy. These challenges primarily stem from the high cost of computing resources and limited access to high-quality data. The NAIRR addresses these barriers by providing ‘AI researchers and students with significantly expanded access to computational resources, high-quality data, educational tools, and user support.’”

The letter was signed by several organizations including TechNet, ACT | The App Association, Americans for Responsible Innovation, Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Center for American Entrepreneurship, Center for Data Innovation, Chamber of Progress, Computing Research Association, Engine, Federation of American Scientists, IEEE-USA, Marketplace Industry Association, SeedAI, and Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA).