AI Training Act

The AI Training Act (officially the Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act) is a United States federal statute requiring the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish an artificial intelligence training program for federal acquisition and procurement officials. It was the first federal law to mandate AI literacy training for the federal procurement workforce.

Overview

• Official Title: Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act
• Public Law: Pub. L. 117-207
• Bill Number: S. 2551 (117th Congress)
• Sponsor: Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)
• Signed: October 17, 2022
• U.S. Code Citation: 41 U.S.C. § 1703 note

Legislative History

The AI Training Act was introduced by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) on October 7, 2021, during the 117th Congress. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent and the House by voice vote, reflecting strong bipartisan recognition that federal procurement officials needed AI training to make informed purchasing decisions. It was signed into law by President Biden on October 17, 2022.

Key Provisions

AI Training Program

The Act requires the Director of OMB to establish or otherwise provide an AI training program for the federal acquisition workforce — the officials responsible for procuring, managing, and overseeing AI systems and services. Key features:

• Purpose: Ensure that the covered workforce has knowledge of the capabilities and risks associated with AI, enabling them to make informed procurement decisions
• Scope: Covers federal employees involved in the procurement of AI technologies, including contracting officers, program managers, and other acquisition personnel
• Content requirements: Training must cover AI capabilities and limitations, risks of AI deployment, and best practices for AI procurement

Program Elements

The training program must address:

• The capabilities and limitations of AI systems
• The risks associated with AI use, including bias, privacy, and security concerns
• Best practices for evaluating and procuring AI systems
• Ethical considerations in AI deployment
• Methods for ensuring AI transparency and accountability

Implementation

• OMB is authorized to update the training program as AI technology and best practices evolve
• Agencies are required to ensure their acquisition workforce participates in the training
• The program may leverage existing federal training infrastructure and public-private partnerships

Significance

The AI Training Act was the first federal law to specifically address AI literacy within the procurement workforce. As the federal government increasingly acquires AI systems — from chatbots to decision-support tools to autonomous systems — the Act recognized that procurement officials needed specialized knowledge to evaluate AI products, understand their limitations, and mitigate risks.

The Act complements the broader federal AI governance framework established by the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 and the AI in Government Act of 2020, focusing specifically on the workforce that acquires AI for the government.

Sources

• Congress.gov — S.2551: AI Training Act (Bill Text)
• Congress.gov — Public Law 117-207 (PDF)
• GovInfo — Public Law 117-207
• GSA — GSA AI Community of Practice
• Holistic AI — Overview of the US AI Training Act

See Also

• AI in Government Act of 2020
• National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020
• Advancing American AI Act
• Legislation