ALFA Field Notes

Making AI American

What does it take to make AI free from ideological bias? ALFA’s own Richard Porter writes in Real Clear Politics that the Enlightenment ideals offer the roadmap for engineers, U.S. companies, and politicians to follow. With the Vice President’s presentation of U.S. AI policy in Paris last week, his point that AI “must be free from ideological bias” can be extrapolated into a more precise definition for AI models that are “created by human beings who [obviously] have political perspectives”.

In today’s fractured media environment, one person’s bias is another person’s truth. But the foundation for all information should not dictate which direction it flows. As AI increasingly becomes our tool for search, we must promote individual agency. We are still in the early days of the AI revolution, so it’s imperative we get this right now, before it runs away from us.

Permitting Reform // NEPA

This week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on our currently broken permitting system. We’ve detailed at length the increasing demand of electricity to power our AI potential and the role permitting reform must play to meet that demand.

Writing in The New Atlantis, Mike Catanzaro lays bare the scale of our permitting challenge. What began as reasonable environmental oversight has metastasized into an unworkable system where impact statements now routinely exceed 600 pages and take over four years to complete, with emerging clean technologies facing the highest litigation rates.

Even beyond hurdles for power generation, when data centers face multi-year delays just to connect to the power grid, transmission lines languish in permitting purgatory, and energy infrastructure can't keep pace with technological advancement, America's competitive position suffers.

As Catz says, what matters isn't endless paperwork promising future compliance, but actual adherence to environmental standards during construction and operation.

That is exactly the objective the Trump administration is after. Following the instruction of an early EO, it has initiated the withdraw of CEQ’s NEPA implementation authority.

This is a great start. But full permitting reform is not achievable without Congress. Catz offers a framework in which “permitting should be simple and straightforward” and with a 90-day shot clock placed on agency review. If on day 91 that review isn’t complete, shovels go in the ground.

AI Fire Detection

Last month’s Los Angeles fires — the most destructive in the city’s history — still has people asking “how did this happen?”

While the failure of California’s political leadership continues to surpass even our already dismal expectations, the bravery and dedication of first responders shows that given the right tools, more can be done to protect citizens from these natural disasters.

Satellite technologies are playing a crucial role in early detection, real-time monitoring, and disaster management. Traditionally, satellites like NASA’s MODIS and VIIRS have been instrumental in identifying thermal anomalies and tracking wildfire progression. However, new AI-driven satellite technologies significantly enhance the capabilities of these systems, allowing for quicker and more accurate wildfire detection.

Companies like OroraTech and some government agencies at the state and federal level are integrating AI with high-resolution thermal imaging to predict fire behavior and assess environmental conditions that contribute to wildfire outbreaks. AI-powered models can detect small fires before they escalate and improve forecasting of fire spread patterns by analyzing wind speeds, vegetation density, and weather conditions.

One of the most promising innovations is the use of CubeSats—miniature satellites equipped with AI algorithms that autonomously detect heat signatures and smoke. These systems provide near-instantaneous alerts to emergency responders, reducing response times and potentially saving lives and property.

By harnessing these technologies, governments and emergency agencies can improve wildfire preparedness, response strategies, and ultimately save lives and property.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

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