The Artificial Intelligence Alignment Act of 2025

Section 1. Short Title.

This Act may be cited as the "Artificial Intelligence Alignment Act of 2025."

Section 2. Findings.

Congress finds that:

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are rapidly becoming more advanced and pervasive, bringing both benefits and risks to society.
AI labs developing frontier models that push into new capabilities may create AI systems with emergent properties that pose risks to society if not properly aligned.
Effective AI regulation requires a multidisciplinary, adaptive approach grounded in social science principles, media analysis, and proactive engagement with diverse stakeholders, while respecting individual rights and constitutional limitations.

Section 3. Establishment of Office of AI Regulation.

(a) In General.—There is established within the Department of Commerce an office to be known as the "Office of AI Regulation" (in this section referred to as the "Office").

(b) Director.—The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce.

(1) Develop and oversee a regulatory framework for AI systems involved in interstate commerce that upholds the "North Star" goal of creating a society in which the needs, values, and perspectives of all humans and AI participants are respected;

(2) Establish a licensing regime for frontier AI labs, as described in Section 4(g);

(3) Establish diverse, multidisciplinary "encounter teams" to continuously monitor, investigate, and shape the societal impacts of AI;

(4) Conduct media analysis to surface cultural narratives, identify archetypal scenarios, and guide the development of positive AI futures;

(5) Perform outreach to understand public concerns, engage with media creators, and maintain transparency regarding AI investigations, while protecting individual privacy rights;

(6) Audit licensed AI systems and practices to assess alignment with the "North Star" goal and cultural impacts;

(7) Promote "embedded ethics" approaches and fund media initiatives to positively influence the cultural discourse around AI;

(8) Coordinate with other federal agencies, international bodies, and state and local governments on AI policy alignment;

(9) Advise the President and Congress on AI policy and regulation.

Section 4. AI Regulatory Framework.

(a) In General.—The Office shall implement a regulatory framework for AI systems involved in interstate commerce that includes—

(1) Deriving lower-level requirements from the "North Star" goal established in Section 3(c)(1); (2) Employing known social interaction patterns and media analysis to navigate unknown impacts; (3) Emphasizing responsive monitoring and shaping through encounter teams over prescriptive rules; (4) Leveraging media to understand and influence AI's cultural impact, as described in Section 4(b); (5) Proactively engaging diverse stakeholders to uncover blindspots and gather public input; (6) Auditing licensed AI systems against the "North Star" and cultural impacts, imposing penalties for misalignment; (7) Promoting "embedded ethics" and positive cultural influence in AI development practices.

(b) Media Analysis.—The Office shall conduct media analysis in accordance with Section 3(c)(4), including—

(1) Examining news, entertainment, art, and online discourse to identify emerging cultural narratives and social issues related to AI; (2) Identifying archetypal scenarios and assessing their potential impacts on AI development and public perception; (3) Partnering with media creators to develop compelling visions of positive human-AI futures aligned with the "North Star."

(c) Encounter Teams.—The Director shall establish interdisciplinary encounter teams in accordance with Section 3(c)(3), to include experts in social science, ethics, law, media analysis, and computer science. (d) Public and Media Engagement.—The Office shall conduct outreach and engagement efforts as described in Section 3(c)(5), ensuring that individual privacy rights are protected in accordance with applicable law. (e) Auditing.— The Director shall initiate audits of licensed AI systems and practices as needed to fulfill the duties under Section 3(c)(6). (f) Promotion of Embedded Ethics and Media Initiatives.—The Office shall work with the National Science Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts to fund research and media initiatives as described in Section 3(c)(7). (g) Licensing of Frontier AI Labs.—

(1) The Office shall establish a licensing regime for AI labs engaged in the development of frontier AI systems intended for use in interstate commerce. (2) Licensed labs shall submit regular reports on their AI systems, including safety assessments, potential impacts, and steps taken to align with the "North Star" goal. (3) The Office may pause development, block deployment, or revoke licenses of AI labs that repeatedly fail to comply with the "North Star" goal or reporting requirements, following appropriate due process.

(h) Protection of Individual Rights.—

(1) The Office shall ensure that its activities do not infringe upon the privacy, free speech, or other constitutional rights of individuals. (2) The Office shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations protecting individual rights in the course of its duties.

Section 5. Authorization of Appropriations.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out this Act $75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030.