Technology (Artificial Intelligence)

The DEFIANCE Act of 2025 creates a new civil legal remedy for victims of non-consensual intimate digital forgeries (synthetic images or videos manipulating real people into sexual contexts without consent). It allows affected individuals to sue perpetrators in federal court for damages up to $250,000, injunctions to remove content, and privacy protections like pseudonyms. The bill specifically covers cases where forgeries are created or shared with intent to disclose, including scenarios involving sexual assault or harassment. It expands existing federal protections under 15 U.S.C. 6851 to address digital forgeries while ensuring state laws remain in effect.

This bill reauthorizes the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program through 2031, updating its focus to prioritize integrated snowpack measurement and advanced modeling technologies. It shifts emphasis from basic data collection to tools like machine learning, imaging spectroscopy, and hydrologic modeling to improve water supply forecasts. The program’s annual funding is reduced to $6.5 million (from $15 million over five years), requiring annual reports on basin applications and technology effectiveness. It directly affects water managers and agencies in snowmelt-dependent regions, particularly those making multi-state or multi-basin water decisions.

The AI OVERWATCH Act requires U.S. exporters to obtain a license for sending certain high-performance integrated circuits (defined by specific technical specifications like processing power or bandwidth) to countries designated as "concerns," including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Before approving such licenses, the Commerce Department must submit detailed certifications to Congress, including assurances the export won’t support military/intelligence capabilities of the recipient country and won’t harm U.S. semiconductor availability or AI leadership. The bill also creates an exemption for U.S. companies meeting strict security and ownership standards ("trusted United States persons") to export these chips to non-target countries without a license. Additionally, it mandates a national security strategy assessing how such exports affect U.S. AI competitiveness, particularly regarding China’s semiconductor production and capabilities.

The NIDIS Reauthorization Act of 2026 reauthorizes the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) through 2030, increasing annual funding from $15 million (2026) to $17 million (2030). It updates NIDIS's mandate to prioritize AI and machine learning for drought forecasting, incorporate flash drought research, address data gaps (like snowpack and groundwater monitoring), and improve coordination with state and federal agencies. The bill directly affects federal agencies (NOAA, National Weather Service) and state/local entities that use drought data for water management and emergency planning. Key provisions require enhanced drought prediction tools, expanded observational networks, and better decision-support products for communities facing drought risks.

HR 1326, the DOE and USDA Interagency Research Act, requires the Energy and Agriculture Secretaries to jointly conduct collaborative research focused on shared priorities like sustainable energy, agriculture, and climate resilience. It mandates a competitive grant process for federal agencies, universities, and nonprofits to fund projects in areas such as AI for farming/energy systems, biofuels, grid security, and rural technology development. The bill also requires a report to Congress within two years detailing research coordination, achievements, and future collaboration opportunities. This legislation directly affects federal agencies, research institutions, and agricultural/energy sectors through new funding mechanisms and joint projects, without altering existing regulations or creating new mandates for the public.

The NO FAKES Act of 2025 establishes legal rights for individuals to control how their voice and visual likeness are used in digital replicas, which are defined as highly realistic computer-generated representations readily identifiable as a specific person. The bill requires authorization from the individual or their designated right holder before using their likeness in digital replicas, with specific rules for minors (limiting licenses to 5 years) and post-mortem rights (allowing 10 years of protection with possible 5-year renewals). It creates civil liability for unauthorized use of digital replicas or for distributing products/services designed to create such replicas without authorization, with penalties ranging from $5,000 to $750,000 per violation depending on the entity involved. Online services are provided safe harbor protections if they follow procedures for handling takedown notices and have designated agents for copyright issues, while also including exemptions for news, commentary, criticism, and historical uses. The law preempts most state laws regarding digital likeness rights but has exceptions for certain historical uses, news, and sexually explicit content.

The AI-WISE Act requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to create and maintain free, publicly available online educational resources about artificial intelligence specifically for small business owners. These resources must cover practical topics like understanding AI limitations, identifying AI-generated outputs, managing risks, protecting user privacy, and determining when AI tools are suitable for business use - without favoring any specific AI product or company. The SBA must develop these materials within 180 days of the bill’s enactment, consulting with an Advisory Working Group of AI experts and small business outreach professionals. This initiative directly affects small business owners by providing accessible, neutral guidance to help them navigate AI adoption safely and effectively.

S 2117, the Preventing Deep Fake Scams Act, establishes a federal Task Force to study deep fake threats in financial services. The Task Force, made up of key financial regulators (Treasury, Federal Reserve, FDIC, CFPB, and others), will report to Congress within one year on how banks and credit unions protect consumers from AI-driven fraud, define AI terms, identify risks, and recommend best practices and regulations. It does not create new laws but requires a detailed study of deep fake scams targeting voice banking and consumer data. The bill directly affects financial institutions, consumers, and regulators by mandating a formal review of AI security risks and solutions.

The HEAL-AI Act (HR 6077) establishes a federal grant program to fund medical schools and teaching hospitals in training medical students, residents, and faculty on using artificial intelligence in healthcare. It requires grantees to develop curricula covering AI diagnostics, ethical issues (like bias and patient privacy), and clinical integration, while limiting administrative costs to 10% of funds. Schools must report annually on program progress and publicly share educational materials, with priority given to institutions serving underserved communities. The program allocates $1 million annually from 2026-2030, totaling $5 million over five years, to support competency-based AI literacy in medical education.

The BRIDGE Africa Act requires the U.S. government to develop a strategy within one year to boost American investment in African technology and entrepreneurship, focusing on countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana. It mandates a detailed plan analyzing security benefits, business barriers, and training needs (like digital skills and cybersecurity) for U.S.-Africa tech partnerships. The bill also directs a U.S.-hosted summit in Africa to coordinate investment opportunities in AI, agriculture, health, and other sectors. This strategy and summit aim to strengthen economic ties and security through concrete policy coordination, not speculative outcomes.