AI, Cybersecurity, and the Expanding Threat Landscape: Key Takeaways from Congressional Hearing On July 22, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology convened a hearing on Protecting Communications Networks and Improving Connectivity. The hearing examined a wide range of communications and technology policy issues, including artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, uncrewed aircraft systems, rural broadband deployment, and illegal robocalls. Wiley partner Kevin Rupy also testified at the hearing, addressing illegal robocalls and fraud. The hearing’s discussion of AI and cybersecurity for communications networks highlighted how Congress is focused on balancing the benefits of AI with potential risks. The witness designated to discuss these issues was Lindsay Gorman, former White House technology advisor. Below, we highlight key areas of congressional focus on AI’s impact on communications networks and summarize the major themes from Gorman’s testimony on AI and cybersecurity. Innovators are working with government in venues like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) to develop risk management frameworks and tools to address rapidly changing technology in a less regulatory manner. The White House is rapidly developing and releasing AI policy initiatives, including Executive Orders, which Wiley analyzed recently, and the announcement of its Gold Eagle initiative to coordinate the sharing of vulnerability information. The policy and regulatory landscape is rapidly shifting, including in Congress – with effects on the labs and AI developers as well as on organizations that may seek access to models, platforms, and security information. Key Congressional Concerns Modernizing Cybersecurity for AI-Enabled Threats. Members’ questions reflected a broad and bipartisan concern that AI is changing both the threat profile and defensive needs of communications networks. A recurring focus was how critical infrastructure operators should respond as AI-enabled threats become more sophisticated, including whether