US senator says federal privacy bill can address AI discrimination

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said the Consumer Online Privacy Rights Act, a bill she introduced in 2019 and again in 2021, could "help protect people from discrimination fueled by artificial intelligence," MediaPost reports. Cantwell said AI can produce opportunities but there also should be "'guardrails' for potential pitfalls." She said her bill would allow consumers to opt-in to receiving targeted advertisements and impose requirements for companies that deploy algorithms.