McClellan, Obernolte Introduce AI-Ready Networks Act to Assess AI Usage in American Telecommunications Networks

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-23) introduced H.R. 7783, the AI-Ready Networks Act, a bipartisan bill which prompts the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to issue a forward-looking report on the integration of artificial intelligence into commercial telecommunications networks across the country.

A 2025 survey found that 97% of telecommunications operators currently assess or use AI to reduce costs, improve network operations, enhance customer experiences and improve employee productivity. While these advances show tremendous potential to strengthen the efficiency of our telecommunications ecosystem, they also raise urgent questions on security, reliability and workforce impact. By ensuring NTIA works alongside federal partners, public and academic institutions and trusted industry stakeholders to assess these issues and AI’s capabilities, the AI-Ready Networks Act will provide Congress a practical foundation for future policy decisions without imposing new regulatory mandates.

“AI’s impacts on our workforce and technological landscape cannot be overstated, and we must act now to ensure these changes both strengthen our telecommunications ecosystem and benefit the American people,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “This bipartisan bill will ensure Congress has the information it needs to assess best practices for the use of AI, support innovation in telecommunications networks and improve transparency for the public.”

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming every sector of our economy, including the networks that power our communications infrastructure,” said Congressman Obernolte. “The AI-Ready Networks Act ensures we adopt a clear-eyed, strategic approach to integrating AI into our telecommunications systems while strengthening security and maintaining America’s technological leadership. By bringing together industry and government partners, this bill will help ensure our networks are secure, resilient, and prepared for the next generation of innovation.”

This legislation is endorsed by Public Knowledge and Americans for Responsible Innovation.

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded in the backbone of our communications infrastructure, yet Congress lacks a clear, government-wide picture of how prepared our networks are for that transformation,” said Brad Carson, President of Americans for Responsible Innovation. “The AI-Ready Networks Act takes a smart, measured approach by assessing current capabilities, emerging use cases, and the security, reliability, and workforce implications of integrating AI into telecommunications systems. That kind of fact-based groundwork is exactly what policymakers need to ensure our networks remain secure, resilient, and ready to support American innovation.”

“As AI becomes embedded in the networks Americans rely on, we need a clear-eyed, comprehensive understanding of what that means for consumers, workers, and network security. The AI-Ready Networks Act takes the right approach in directing NTIA to study these questions through a public, multi-stakeholder process,” said Nat Purser, Senior Policy Advocate at Public Knowledge. “The bill also rightly asks how AI can be leveraged to strengthen the integrity of our telecommunications infrastructure, allowing consumers to realize the benefits of this technology while also enjoying greater oversight of how it's deployed. Public Knowledge is proud to endorse Rep. McClellan's proposal, which will ensure public trust remains central as AI is integrated into our telecommunications infrastructure.”

The AI-Ready Networks Act: 

• Directs NTIA to produce a comprehensive report on how artificial intelligence is being integrated into U.S. commercial telecommunications networks within 18 months of enactment.
• Focuses on voluntary, industry-driven AI use cases, highlighting current and emerging applications that improve network performance, reliability, and efficiency—without imposing new regulatory mandates.
• Assesses security, integrity, and resilience considerations, including how AI can strengthen network availability and protect critical communications infrastructure.
• Examines workforce impacts, identifying skills, training needs, and workforce trends as AI adoption accelerates across the telecommunications sector.
• Reviews the status of international and industry-led standards, ensuring U.S. policy is informed by global technical norms and best practices.
• Encourages transparency and public trust, evaluating how voluntary best practices, existing laws, and government guidance can support responsible AI deployment in networks.
• Invites recommendations for modernizing the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure federal law reflects technological advances in AI for telecommunications.
• Requires broad consultation and public input, including coordination with FCC, NIST, DHS, CISA, state, local, and Tribal governments, trusted industry stakeholders, academia, and public interest groups, plus a draft report and public comment period.

Read the full bill text here.