> shudder to think what form they would take, given the typical government level of technological expertise and understanding

Start with public disclosure. A repository where AI firms publicly file simple, standardised information—model architecture, training sources, intended user, responsible executives, et cetera—that can guide the public and policymakers in future rulemaking.

More generally, this complaint about electeds’ domain expertise misunderstands how modern states work. Congress can’t build a plane. That doesn’t mean they can’t build the FAA.