I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9475 
To authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to identify 
grand challenges and award competitive prizes for artificial intelligence 
research and development. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 
Mr. LIEU (for himself and Mr. OBERNOLTE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To authorize the Director of the National Science Founda-
tion to identify grand challenges and award competitive 
prizes for artificial intelligence research and development. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘AI Grand Challenges 
Act of 2024’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. PRIZE COMPETITIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTEL-
LIGENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) DEFINITION.—Except as otherwise expressly pro-
vided, in this section the term ‘‘Director’’ means the Di-
rector of the National Science Foundation. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, 
in coordination with the Interagency Committee es-
tablished under section 5103 of the National Artifi-
cial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 
9413), shall establish a program to award prizes, 
utilizing the authorities and processes established 
under section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Tech-
nology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719), to 
eligible participants as determined by the Director 
pursuant to subsection (e) to stimulate artificial in-
telligence research, development, and commercializa-
tion that solves or advances specific, well-defined, 
and measurable grand challenges in 1 or more of the 
following categories: 
(A) National security. 
(B) Cybersecurity. 
(C) Health. 
(D) Energy. 
(E) Environment. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(F) Transportation. 
(G) Agriculture and rural development. 
(H) Education and workforce training. 
(I) Manufacturing. 
(J) Space and aerospace. 
(K) Quantum computing, including molec-
ular modeling and simulation. 
(L) Materials science. 
(M) Supply chain resilience. 
(N) Disaster preparedness. 
(O) Natural resources management. 
(P) Cross cutting challenges in artificial 
intelligence, 
including 
robustness, 
interpretability, 
explainability, 
transparency, 
safety, privacy, content provenance, and bias 
mitigation. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The grand challenges and 
prize competition program established under para-
graph (1) shall be known as the ‘‘AI Grand Chal-
lenges Program’’. 
(3) ROTATORS.—Participants in the Rotator 
Program of the National Science Foundation may 
support the development and implementation of the 
AI Grand Challenges Program. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(c) GRAND CHALLENGES SELECTION AND GRAND 
CHALLENGES INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) CONSULTATION
ON
IDENTIFICATION 
AND
SELECTION.—The Director shall consult 
with the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, the Director of the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, the Di-
rector of the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, the heads of relevant Federal 
agencies, and the National Artificial Intelligence 
Advisory Committee to identify and select arti-
ficial intelligence research and development 
grand challenges in which eligible participants 
will compete to solve or advance for prize 
awards under subsection (b). 
(B) PUBLIC INPUT ON IDENTIFICATION.— 
The Director shall also seek public input on the 
identification of artificial intelligence research 
and development grand challenges. 
(2) 
PROBLEM
STATEMENTS; 
SUCCESS 
METRICS.—For each grand challenge selected under 
paragraph (1) and the grand challenge under para-
graph (3), the Director shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(A) establish a specific and well-defined 
grand challenge problem statement and ensure 
that such problem statement is published on the 
National Science Foundation website linking 
out to relevant prize competition listings on the 
website Challenge.gov that is managed by the 
General Services Administration; and 
(B) establish and publish on the website 
Challenge.gov clear targets, success metrics, 
and validation protocols for the prize competi-
tions designed to address each grand challenge, 
in order to provide specific benchmarks that 
will be used to evaluate submissions to the prize 
competition. 
(3) GRAND CHALLENGE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTEL-
LIGENCE-ENABLED CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS.— 
(A) REQUIRED PRIZE COMPETITION.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Director, in consultation with the 
Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy and the Director of the National 
Institutes of Health, shall establish not less 
than 1 grand challenge in which eligible partici-
pants will compete in a prize competition to 
solve or advance solutions for prize awards 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
under subsection (b) that seek to advance med-
ical breakthroughs to address 1 or more of the 
most lethal forms of cancer and related 
comorbidities. The grand challenge shall relate 
to detection, diagnostics, treatments, thera-
peutics, or other innovations in artificial intel-
ligence to increase the total quality-adjusted life 
years of those affected or likely to be affected 
by cancer. 
(B) PRIZE AMOUNT.—In carrying out the 
prize competition under subparagraph (A), the 
Director shall award not less than $10,000,000 
in cash prize awards to each winner. 
(4) AMBITIOUS
AND
ACHIEVABLE
GOALS.— 
Grand challenges selected under paragraph (1) and 
the grand challenge under paragraph (3) shall be 
ambitious but achievable goals that utilize science, 
technology, and innovation to solve or advance solu-
tions to problems to benefit the United States. 
(d) ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION.—The Director may 
consult with, and incorporate effective practices from, 
other entities that have developed successful large-scale 
technology demonstration prize competitions, including 
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration, other Fed-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
eral agencies, private sector enterprises, and nonprofit or-
ganizations, in the development and implementation of the 
AI Grand Challenges Program and related prize competi-
tions, including on the requirements under subsection (e). 
(e) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall develop 
requirements for— 
(A) the prize competition process, includ-
ing eligibility criteria for participants, con-
sistent with the requirements under paragraph 
(2); and 
(B) testing, judging, and verification pro-
cedures for submissions to receive a prize award 
under the AI Grand Challenges Program. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENT
AND
JUDG-
ING.— 
(A) ELIGIBILITY.—In accordance with the 
requirement described in section 24(g)(3) of the 
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719(g)(3)), a recipient of a 
prize award under the AI Grand Challenges 
Program— 
(i) that is a private entity shall be in-
corporated in and maintain a primary 
place of business in the United States; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(ii) who is an individual, whether par-
ticipating singly or in a group, shall be a 
citizen or permanent resident of the United 
States. 
(B) JUDGES.—In accordance with section 
24(k) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology In-
novation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719(k)), a 
judge of a prize competition under the AI 
Grand Challenges Program may be an indi-
vidual from the private sector. 
(f) PRIZE AMOUNT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out the AI 
Grand Challenges Program, the Director— 
(A) shall award not less than $1,000,000 
in cash prize awards to each winner of the prize 
competitions, except as provided in subsection 
(c)(3); and 
(B) may also utilize non-cash awards. 
(2) LARGER
AWARDS.—The Director may 
award prizes under the AI Grand Challenges Pro-
gram that are more than $50,000,000, pursuant to 
the requirements under section 24(m)(4)(A) of the 
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719(m)(4)(A)). 
(g) FUNDING.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with section 
24(m)(1) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno-
vation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719(m)(1)), the Di-
rector may request and accept funds from other 
Federal agencies, State, United States territory, 
local, or Tribal government agencies, for-profit enti-
ties, and nonprofit entities to support the AI Grand 
Challenges Program. 
(2) PROHIBITION ON CONSIDERATION FOR SUP-
PORT.—The Director may not consider any support 
provided by an agency or entity under paragraph (1) 
in determining the winners of prize awards under 
subsection (b). 
(h) REPORTS.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION OF WINNING SUBMISSION.— 
Not later than 60 days after the date on which a 
prize is awarded under the AI Grand Challenges 
Program, the Director shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate, the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives, and 
other relevant committees of Congress a report that 
describes the winning submission to the prize com-
petition and its benefits to the United States. 
(2) BIENNIAL REPORT.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, and bi-
ennially thereafter, the Director shall submit to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives, and other relevant committees 
of Congress a report that includes— 
(i) a description of the activities car-
ried out under this Act; 
(ii) a description of the active com-
petitions and the results of completed com-
petitions under the AI Grand Challenges 
Program; and 
(iii) efforts to provide information to 
the public about the AI Grand Challenges 
Program to encourage participation. 
(B) PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY.—The Director 
shall make the biennial report required under 
subparagraph (A) publicly accessible, including 
by posting the biennial report on the website of 
the National Science Foundation in an easily 
accessible location. 
(i) ACCESSIBILITY.—In carrying out the AI Grand 
Challenges Program, the Director shall post the active 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
prize competitions and available prize awards under sub-
section (b) to Challenge.gov after the grand challenges are 
selected and the prize competitions are designed pursuant 
to subsections (c) and (e) to ensure the prize competitions 
are widely accessible to eligible participants. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:42 Sep 12, 2024
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H9475.IH
H9475
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS