Published
September 11, 2024
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Houston Partnership recently held an event on AI and hosted speakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and local small business owners. They discussed U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence and how independent entrepreneurs can grow with this transformative technology.
In a fireside chat with Chamber Senior Vice President Tom Quaadman, Sen. Cruz highlighted a recent op-ed he co-authored with former Senator Phil Gramm comparing the government’s approach in the 1990s to growth of the internet with the current state of AI policy.
Cruz warned that if the U.S. does not follow a similar path with AI, it risks ceding its lead in AI to countries like China. He argued the private sector should lead on AI innovation and that the real source of threats with AI, as with any other technology, is “human nature.”
Echoing the recommendations of the Chamber’s AI Commission, Cruz believes that many AI uses are already covered by law and that the government should step in if gaps exist and the risks warrant action. As an example, Cruz raised the case of deepfake revenge images.
New laws were needed to address the use of AI to create non-consensual sexual images and that it was necessary to criminalize their creation and enable a mechanism for people to remove them from the internet. To address this issue, Senator Cruz introduced the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which the Chamber supports.
The Intersection of AI and Privacy
When asked about the connection between AI and privacy, Senator Cruz expressed concerns over legislation like the American Privacy Rights Act, citing potential FTC and litigation abuses. He praised Texas’s law as a “good approach,” and stated, “with regard to privacy, we should proceed slowly, deliberately, and carefully. Privacy standards should protect very real privacy concerns people have but not do so in a way that crushes small business and crushes innovation.”
AI Boosts Small Business Success
We also heard from a panel of three Houston-area small business owners who are leveraging AI to compete and grow. Emmanuel Brown, co-founder of ChurchSpace, outlined how a third of church leaders contemplating leaving the ministry because of financial stress. However, his company provides an AI service where pastors can rent their unused space, like commercial kitchens, to increase revenue. Brown highlighted a restaurant owner who, after losing their business during the pandemic, was able to get back on their feet by utilizing a church kitchen found through the app.
Mario Amaro, owner of Cline, is developing a technology that will use AI to help provide greater mobility for seniors. He previously started a company that helped independent physicians use AI for back-end office tasks to help prevent burnout. Amaro stressed the importance of educating the public and small businesses about AI. Dr. Alexia McClerkin, the Wellness Doc, integrates AI into her practice by enabling patients to ask questions via chatbots. Citing the difficulties in starting an independent practice and finding experienced or qualified staff, AI has been instrumental, making tasks like scheduling appointments more efficient.
AI Adoption Rate Among Texas Small Businesses
According to the latest U.S. Chamber’s Empowering Small Business Report, one third of Texas small businesses are using AI compared to the national average of 23 percent. Most small business owners in Texas are worried that a patchwork of state AI and privacy laws will harm their business. The U.S. must enact one national privacy law based on what states like Texas have done and pursue a workable national AI framework.
The Chamber will release its next Empowering Small Business report on September 16 at the Denver Metro Chamber along with Governor Jared Polis and other state lawmakers.
About the authors
Jordan Crenshaw
Crenshaw is Senior Vice President of the Chamber Technology Engagement Center (C_TEC).
