Analysis: These scientists are trying to help Congress get smarter about tech

The Government Accountability Office's Science and Technology Assessment and Analytics group, created in 2019,  is ramping up its work: It wants to double its current ranks of about 70 people providing technical assessments to Congress on topics such as artificial intelligence in health care or 5G wireless. “At such a time as this, you can't avoid” tech issues, said Tim Persons, GAO's top scientist tasked with leading the group. "There's so much disruption going on and so much potential for good in solving our complex adaptive systems problems of the day. And it's our job to sort of help bridge that gap of understanding.” "The policymakers are not unwise to the issues," he added. "They're very keen on that. ... It's just my job to say 'here's what this means and here's what this is,' in order to de-risk or help frame the issues so they can do their jobs." 

But lawmakers and experts don't think the GAO's initiative is enough to bridge the chasm between Congress's understanding and the complex tech challenges of our time — especially as election interference on social media, a national privacy debate and new technologies such as quantum computing and 5G are increasingly top of mind for lawmakers.  Momentum is growing on Capitol Hill to revive the Office of Technology Assessment, a long-defunct agency that was tasked with helping Congress get up to speed with tech issues.