Bill
HR 7058
Require annual, unclassified State Dept reports assessing foreign adversaries’ malicious use of generative AI, plus diplomatic efforts to counter and set norms.
Purpose
- The bill requires the Secretary of State to assess and report on risks to the United States posed by foreign adversaries that use generative artificial intelligence (GAI) for malicious activities.
- It directs diplomatic engagement to recognize, assess, and address such use, including through bilateral/multilateral diplomacy and international norm-setting.
Key Provisions
1) Sense of Congress (Section 2)
- Acknowledges that:
- Generative AI can offer societal and economic benefits if developed/used responsibly.
- Foreign adversaries’ increasing use of GAI may pose national security risks, and these challenges are not well understood.
- Requires the State Department, with relevant federal partners, to take diplomatic steps to address the issue, including in international fora and through engagement aimed at responsible state behavior.
2) Assessments of Risks Posed by Foreign Adversaries Using GAI (Section 3)
- General timeline:
- Assessments are due within 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter for three years.
- Assessments are prepared by the Secretary of State in consultation with other federal agencies and submitted to appropriate congressional committees.
- Contents of each assessment:
- (1) Incident analysis from the preceding calendar year, where foreign adversaries used or attempted to use GAI for malicious activities against the U.S. and its allies. Specific focus areas include:
- Disinformation and synthetic media (e.g., propaganda, malign influence operations targeting the U.S., its citizens, or allies).
- Enhancement of capabilities related to chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons.
- Facilitation of malicious cyber operations.
- Development or enhancement of other military, surveillance, or intelligence capabilities.
- (2) Analysis of emerging trends in GAI use by foreign adversaries, including:
- Attribution to specific adversaries where possible.
- Implications for U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, and the development of international norms/standards led by the U.S. and allies.
- (3) Recommendations to mitigate and counter risks to the U.S. and allies from adversaries using GAI for malicious activities.
- Form:
- Each assessment must be unclassified, with optional classified annexes for sensitive sources/methods.
- The unclassified portions must be posted on the State Department’s public website.
3) Definitions (Section 4)
- Appropriate Congressional Committees: House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
- Artificial Intelligence: As defined in the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401(3)).
- Foreign Adversary: As defined by the term “covered nation” in 10 U.S.C. § 4872(f).
- Generative Artificial Intelligence Applications: AI models that generate synthetic content (images, videos, audio, text, etc.) by emulating input data structure/characteristics.
Administration and Proponents
- Introduced January 14, 2026, by Rep. Baumgartner, with multiple co-sponsors (including Reps. Lawler, Haridopolos, Salazar, Rutherford, Fine, Shreve, Van Epps, Ezell, etc.).
- Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs; later action shows a committee mark-up and reported out with a 45-0 vote (as of March 26, 2026).
Potential Impact
This summary captures the bill’s objective to assess and diplomatically address foreign adversary use of generative AI, through annual, publicly posted assessments and ongoing international engagement.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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