Dear colleagues, The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) request for input to develop a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy <https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/26/2023-11346/request-for-information-national-priorities-for-artificial-intelligence> offers historians of technology an opportunity to offer historically grounded suggestions for contemporary government policy. With a submission deadline of July 7, we need to move quickly. What follows is an experiment, not a set blueprint. Please freely comment about procedure as well as content. I propose two lines of action: people responding individually and working together to submit responses. My focus is the latter. The request has 29 questions, divided into five areas: Protecting rights, safety, and national security Advancing equity and strengthening civil rights Bolstering democracy and civic participation Promoting economic growth and good jobs Innovating in public services OSTP is limiting a response to ten pages (excluding references), thus encouraging respondents to establish their priorities using their expertise and assessment of the questions’ importance. The questions ask whether the diffusion of AI can help or hurt the United States in those areas both in general and for specific subsectors. Historical experience -- such as the (uneven) diffusion of the Internet, of electrification, of transportation technologies; redlining; and access to financing – can shape our responses. I suggest organizing to - discuss what questions are the highest priorities - form subgroups to focus on those questions - critique and edit suggestions - submit responses by July 7 If you are interested, please respond to this email or contribute to a Google Docs <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P0G-uKP2cG5LpxO9GUixPqVfJY5fyAQBeor7h0o4LzQ/edit?usp=sharing>. All responses to the OSTP request will be publicly available (which creates an opportunity for more research – see below). We can use Google Docs and zoom to communicate and coordinate. I encourage thinking about publishing your responses in other venues (such as theconversation.com, History News Network) to reach wider audiences. Future research: After July 7, all the submitted responses will be publicly available. That will be an opportunity to analyze the perceptions of the respondents about AI. Thank you for considering this opportunity. The attached file contains this letter and the 29 questions. Stay sane, Jonathan Jonathan Coopersmith Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Professor Emeritus Department of History Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4236 979.739.4708 (cell) "Technological obsolescence, <https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2023/05/technological-obsolescence>" National Academy of Engineering *Perspectives* May 23, 2023 It's taking longer to vote - especially if you are Black or Hispanic <https://theconversation.com/its-taking-more-time-to-cast-a-ballot-in-us-elections-and-even-longer-for-black-and-hispanic-voters-191711> , theconversation.com Preserving space archives: https://www.toboldlypreserve.space/ *FAXED. The Rise and Fall of the Fax Machine* (Johns Hopkins University Press)