In a significant move to ensure the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence (AI), President Biden has signed a groundbreaking executive order aimed at regulating AI technologies. The order focuses on preventing potential misuse by companies while safeguarding the privacy of American citizens.
The White House press release outlines the key provisions of the executive order, which will set new standards for AI safety, security, and privacy protections. Additionally, it aims to foster innovation and competition to position the United States at the forefront of AI development.
Under this directive, industry giants such as OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft will be mandated to share safety test results and other critical information with the U.S. government. This requirement applies to future generations of AI models powering chatbots, excluding current implementations like ChatGPT and Google Bard.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been tasked with developing rigorous standards, tools, and tests to guarantee the safety, security, and trustworthiness of AI systems. Subsequently, the Department of Homeland Security will apply these standards to critical infrastructure sectors and establish an AI Safety and Security Board.
Recognizing the potential risks of AI in areas such as phishing and fraud, the Department of Commerce will implement measures to ensure AI-generated content bears a watermark. Additionally, guidance for content authentication will be developed, facilitating easy verification of communications from federal agencies, a crucial step in combating impersonation scams.
President Biden’s executive order builds upon the administration’s AI Cyber Challenge initiative, which leverages AI to enhance the security of government software and networks. Simultaneously, a new National Security Memorandum on AI is in development, with the aim of ensuring the safe, ethical, and effective use of AI within the U.S. military and intelligence community.
While several provisions of this executive order primarily pertain to the U.S. government and AI development companies, a significant focus is also placed on protecting the privacy of American citizens. President Biden has called on Congress to pass bipartisan data privacy legislation, particularly targeting the safety of children in the age of AI. Federal funding will be directed towards expediting the development of privacy-preserving techniques, including AI systems that can be trained while preserving the privacy of training data.
Furthermore, the order addresses the evaluation of agencies’ collection and utilization of commercially available information, including data obtained from brokers. While this is a commendable step forward, there is a growing call from concerned individuals to cease the practice of U.S. government agencies purchasing location data and sensitive information from data brokers altogether.
In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, President Biden’s executive order on AI regulation signifies a crucial step towards ensuring both innovation and the protection of American citizens’ privacy and security. It sets a precedent for responsible AI development and use in the United States.
