Since its launch last week, the National Whistleblower Center (NWC) reports that its petition calling on Congress to immediately pass the AI Whistleblower Protection Act (AIWPA) has garnered over 20,000 signatures.
According to NWC, this swell of public support comes at a critical moment. Congress is actively considering the AIWPA. Politico reports that on September 23, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) moved to pass the bill via unanimous consent, a fast-tracking measure that allows popular bills to pass the Senate without going through floor debate.
The AIWPA would provide anti-retaliation protections to employees at AI companies who report potential legal violations or threats to public safety to their supervisors, regulatory and law enforcement agencies, or Congress. It is similar in structure to other existing anti-retaliation laws, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (for securities insiders) and the Whistleblower Protection Act (for federal employees).
“This tremendous public response proves what we already know: the AIWPA is a popular, common-sense measure to protect AI whistleblowers,” said NWC Chairman of the Board Stephen M. Kohn. “It is critical that advocates continue to show support. We need to get this bill passed to protect the rights of AI insiders to make disclosures as soon as possible.”
NWC is calling on supporters to share the petition and contact their representatives in support of the AIWPA.
