The excitement surrounding the potential of artificial intelligence has inspired many to dream about the technology’s transformative promise. That enthusiasm was on full display when the Biden administration released an executive order to “ensure America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of AI,” as the White House fact sheet put it.
But to unlock AI’s transformative potential, the United States must confront a challenging truth: many Americans cannot afford high-speed internet access — the key to participating in the AI revolution.
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has made significant strides in getting Americans online and with access to the internet service they need, providing a discount of up to $30 monthly toward internet service for eligible households (i.e., those whose annual incomes are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level) and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.
It allows families the ability to access devices for work and school at discounted rates. Since the program began, more than 22 million households have signed up. Its funding, however, is about to run out.
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) recently introduced the “Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024,” which, if passed, would appropriate $7 billion to the program. This extension would then give Congress time to develop a plan that ensures all Americans can stay connected for the long haul. Funding, however, must be authorized by February, or millions of households will risk no longer being able to pay for the internet service they need.
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed skepticism over the effectiveness and value of the ACP, but it’s clear that the program has been successful at helping low-income households pay their internet bills — which are often a strain on tight budgets.
If we aspire to build a future powered by AI, where the United States stands as a dominant, innovative economy on the global stage, then we must finally address the persistent digital divide. Policymakers cannot lose sight of what has become one of the most critical services of our time: access to the internet.
AI-enabled technologies require fast internet. AI applications are data-intensive, necessitating robust and high-speed internet connections. Slow internet connections can disrupt the real-time or near-real-time performance of AI systems. If we want an equitable AI future, we need all Americans to have an opportunity to access fast internet.
America’s digital divide persists because many disconnected Americans lack access to service or cannot afford it. This past May, the Federal Communications Commission found that 8.3 million homes and businesses lack access to high-speed broadband. Of those without a high-speed connection, a Pew Research Center study found that 45 percent of Americans cited cost as a barrier.
Policymakers must acknowledge that as many as 52 million American households won’t have equitable access to AI-enabled tools if they cannot connect to the internet to use them.
Efforts by the White House to use the might of the federal government to incentivize safe and responsible deployment of AI are critical. But if we do not address the point of entry — fast, affordable internet connection for all Americans — then we will leave millions of Americans behind. The path to a strong American response to AI starts by investing in ourselves and ensuring every American can participate in digital life.
