The AI PLAN Act mandates an annual interagency strategy report detailing current defenses, available tools, and resource needs to combat financial crimes and threats posed by artificial intelligence.
Zachary (Zach) Nunn
Representative
IA-3
The AI PLAN Act mandates the creation of a unified federal strategy to defend against financial crimes and threats posed by artificial intelligence. Key agencies must annually report to Congress on current defenses, available tools, and necessary resources to combat AI-driven risks like deepfakes and fraud. Following this report, the agencies must provide specific legislative recommendations and best practices for businesses and government entities.
AI PLAN Act Mandates Annual Federal Strategy to Defend Against Deepfakes and Financial Fraud
The new Artificial Intelligence Practices, Logistics, Actions, and Necessities Act—or the AI PLAN Act—isn’t about regulating the tech itself just yet. This first section is all about setting up the government's defensive strategy. It mandates that the Secretaries of the Treasury, Homeland Security, and Commerce work together to create an annual, comprehensive plan to fight financial crimes and misinformation driven by artificial intelligence.
Think of this as the federal government finally admitting that AI-powered scams, fraud, and market manipulation are real threats that need a coordinated defense. No later than 180 days after the bill passes, these three agencies, in consultation with everyone from the Attorney General to the Chair of the Federal Reserve, must submit a report to Congress. This report has three key parts: what they are currently doing to protect our financial markets, what technology they have right now, and, crucially, what resources (tech, people, and budget) they need to actually win this fight.
The AI Threat Checklist: What They Have to Watch Out For
This isn't just a generic report; the bill specifically directs the agencies to focus on threats that hit close to home for everyone. They must analyze the risks posed by things like deepfakes (which can be used for identity theft or corporate espionage), voice cloning (hello, fake CEO call demanding a wire transfer), foreign actors trying to mess with elections, and the use of false signals to manipulate stock markets. For the average person, this means the government is finally putting a spotlight on the sophisticated scams that can wipe out your savings or compromise your company's data, which currently often fall through the cracks between agencies.
From Strategy to Action: New Laws and Best Practices
The strategy report is just the first step. Within 90 days of submitting that report, the three Secretaries must send Congress a separate package of recommendations. These recommendations must include suggestions for any new laws required to address these AI risks. They also have to provide best practices for American businesses and government groups. This is a big deal for small and mid-sized businesses that can’t afford massive security teams. If this part is done right, companies could get clear, actionable guidance on how to protect themselves from, say, a deepfake phishing attack that tricks an employee into handing over sensitive data. Essentially, this section creates a permanent requirement for the federal government to stay ahead of the AI threat curve, ensuring we have not just a strategy, but the laws and tools needed to back it up.