AI–WISE Act

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 5784, the AI-WISE Act.

Four years ago, AI burst into mainstream focus with the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT. When I first tried this tool, I was shocked. I knew then and there that AI had the potential to revolutionize the way American firms operate and do business.

AI, like all emerging technology, comes with risks. AI outputs are prone to bias, discrimination, misinformation, and omissions. Safety and cybersecurity vulnerabilities can render AI deployers open to adversarial attacks. We don't even fully know this risk because we cannot predict AI's trajectory, so new risk could come up as it evolves and adds capabilities.

We have all seen reports of GenAI gone wrong, with episodes ranging from customer service chatbots at car dealerships offering to sell pickup trucks for $1 to general purpose chatbots advising small businesses to break the law.

In other words, a small business using a flawed AI model risks steep reputational and legal harm. Many of these incidents are attributable simply to AI's current technological immaturity and the growing pains that come with its ongoing evolution. This is why AI literacy is crucial for small businesses to keep up with their larger competitors considering and adopting AI.

The AI-WISE Act will direct SBA to create online AI literacy resources for entrepreneurs, so they have the tools to make sound choices on AI adoption and use. It will also direct the SBA to keep their resources updated on innovations in AI technology through an expert working group. Finally, the bill will allow the SBA resource partners to develop specialized and localized assistance to best educate their communities.

I thank my colleagues, Ms. Scholten and Mr. Downing, for collaborating over the last 2 years to bring this bill to the floor. Furthermore, let me convey my gratitude to Chairman Williams; his staff director, Lauren Holmes; and all the floor staff for seeing this bill through today. It is greatly appreciated.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I commend Ms. Scholten and Mr. Downing for their dedication to our Nation's innovative small enterprises, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5784.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5784, the AI-WISE Act. This legislation will provide essential resources for small businesses to support their efforts to adopt AI.

Small businesses are optimistic about the potential of AI. Capabilities like machine learning and language processing are becoming critical tools for businesses seeking streamlined operations, like workforce recruitment, marketing, and strategy development.

However, businesses with substantial and stable access to capital tend to be better positioned for technology adoption and dealing with its ramifications. Small businesses, on the other hand,

including businesses in rural communities like my home district in central and eastern Montana, often lack the resources and information needed to facilitate technology adoption.

For example, according to a 2025 report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 59 percent of small businesses in Montana have adopted AI into their operations. While this figure may seem significant, it pales in comparison to the near-universal adoption of AI that is seen with Fortune 500 companies. That is why I am proud to co-lead H.R. 5784, the AI-WISE Act, with my colleague, Representative Scholten.

The AI-WISE Act directs the Small Business Administration, the SBA, to establish educational resources on AI for small businesses through its online learning platform. In doing so, this legislation seeks to provide small businesses with the technical and practical knowledge needed to best navigate AI adoption.

The scope of this educational material will include resources for small businesses on how AI models work, how businesses can identify tasks that AI can effectively perform, and the best practices for coordinating with third-party providers and protecting data privacy.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Scholten, for co- leading this legislation with me. The AI-WISE Act will ensure small businesses have the information that they need to most effectively utilize AI to bolster their entrepreneurship.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5784) to amend the Small Business Act to help small business concerns critically evaluate artificial intelligence tools, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5784, the Artificial Intelligence Wisdom for Innovative Small Enterprises Act, the AI-WISE Act. This bipartisan bill is led by Representatives Scholten and Downing.

Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate in real time. While large corporations can afford expensive consultants and trial-and-error experimentation, many small businesses do not have the luxury to do that. For a small business owner like myself, every dollar matters. The AI-WISE Act helps bridge that gap.

This bill directs the SBA to provide clear, accessible, and practical guidance that helps small business owners understand artificial intelligence in straightforward terms. It focuses on helping entrepreneurs evaluate whether an artificial intelligence tool is useful for their specific business, where it may fall short, and whether it is truly worth the cost before they spend their money to get that.

Importantly, this bill does all of this without authorizing any new spending. It builds on existing programs, avoids picking winners and losers, and keeps the Federal Government focused on providing information, not mandates.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation and to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5784.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Downing).

Madam Speaker, we cannot leave Main Street behind in the adoption of AI. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.