Sen Cruz Investigates AI Nonprofit for Potential Misuse of Taxpayer Funds

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) is demanding answers from the artificial intelligence nonprofit, Future of Privacy Forum, over its having used federal grant money to advocate for states to adopt AI laws. Sen Cruz raises concerns about the group’s advocacy for AI regulations aligned with the Biden administration’s political agenda, such as policing speech and embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in AI code. He is also reviewing FPF’s federal grants amid concerns that the organization attempted to obscure its support for Biden’s AI regulatory agenda. FPF was a key player in the creation of a bill introduced in the Texas state legislature called the Responsible AI Governance Act. The original bill mirrored strict EU-style AI regulations, such as a pre-approval testing mandate before AI could be used and safety standards that aligned with Biden-era policies. As initially written, TRAIGA would have imposed broad liability on AI developers, creating a regulatory framework for algorithmic discrimination and bias.