Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) could hold up major legislation on artificial intelligence while senators are brought up to speed on the burgeoning technology.

Schumer announced a series of "forums" designed to educate senators about AI so they can be more informed when they vote on future legislation.

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“Even when companies are good and want to have some of the protections that we need, if their competitors aren’t doing it, they’re going to be under huge pressure not to do it themselves,” Schumer said, as reported by FedScoop. “That’s why Congress must join the AI revolution. The federal government — we have no choice.”

Schumer joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies last month to talk about a path for AI and indicated legislation was very unlikely to move in Congress until 2024 at the earliest.

“It's not going to be days or weeks, but it's not going to be years,” Schumer said. “Months would be the proper timeline that I would give you.”

Last week, the Senate held a classified briefing with intelligence and defense officials concerning the potential regulation of artificial intelligence. The briefing was one of three planned summer meetings on the topic of AI.

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Schumer introduced federal AI legislation last month, outlined in the SAFE Innovation Framework. The senator also set up nine "AI Insight Forums," a series of discussions with experts, set to be hosted by Congress starting this fall. The bipartisan effort, which includes Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Todd Young (R-IA), and Mike Rounds (R-SD), is designed to help lawmakers set guidelines for the use of AI.

Schumer is also expected to introduce amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act dealing with AI's potential.