On March 11, according to the New York Times, on Monday local time,A top U.S. Senate executive has approved aides’ use of three AI chatbots in official duties.This shows that such AI products are already widely used in workplaces around the world.
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According to a one-page memo reviewed by The New York Times, the chief information officer of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms, which oversees Senate computer systems and security, said:Assistants can use Microsoft Copilot, which is integrated into the Senate platform, as well as Google Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The memo states that Copilot "can assist with the day-to-day work of the Senate, including drafting and editing documents, summarizing information, preparing speaking points and briefing materials, and conducting research and analysis." "Data shared with Copilot Chat will remain within the secure Microsoft 365 Government environment and protected by the same security measures used to protect other Senate data," the document added.
It's unclear how widely chatbots will be used in the Senate or how widespread they are already. Senate offices and committees typically operate independently, with lawmakers and committee chairs setting their own rules for staff to follow, and the Senate has yet to make public its guidelines on the use of AI.
The question, however, is how these products should be used by those working with sensitive or confidential information. Committee aides with security clearances who handle classified information are subject to strict operating procedures.
According to the POPVOX Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on modernizing Congress,House aides have been given access to Copilot, Gemini and ChatGPT, as well as Anthropic’s Claude.The group said it reviewed the House and Senate’s internal guidelines for the use of AI.
As of press time, the Republican spokesman for the Senate Intelligence Committee had not commented, while the Democratic spokesman declined to comment, citing security reasons. Aides in the Senate sergeant-at-arms' office also have not yet responded to requests for comment.