Congressman Pat Harrigan Co-Leads Bipartisan Bill to Track Self-Improving AI

August 31, 2026 Press Release Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408 WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) joined Congressman George Whitesides (D-CA-27) in introducing the bipartisan Self-Improving AI Monitoring Act , legislation to help the federal government better understand how quickly the most advanced AI systems are evolving, particularly their ability to conduct research and contribute to the development of new AI systems with limited human involvement. “AI is moving incredibly fast, and we need a clear picture of what the most advanced systems can actually do,” said Congressman Harrigan. “As AI begins taking on more of the work involved in developing the next generation of AI, the pace of progress could accelerate dramatically. This bill makes sure we can track those developments without putting new mandates on American companies or getting in the way of innovation.” The Self-Improving AI Monitoring Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to monitor trends in the ability of advanced AI systems to conduct or assist with AI research and development. It also ensures that when frontier AI companies voluntarily partner with NIST on model evaluations, those agreements include sharing relevant metrics and estimates about how much AI is being used in their internal research and development, including work conducted without human review. The legislation creates no new regulatory mandates and keeps participation with NIST voluntary. Congressman Harrigan will continue working to keep the United States at the forefront of artificial intelligence while ensuring policymakers have the information necessary to understand where this technology is headed and what it means for American innovation and national security. Issues : Science, Space, and Technology Energy Independence and Security