US President Joe Biden Pens an Executive Order Calling for "Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy" AI
Executive Order calls for standards designed to ensure privacy, address "algorithmic discrimination," and protect workers.
US President Joe Biden has signed an Executive Order which it is claimed will offer a path to "safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence" by directing the development of new standards, the inclusion of safeguards to protect citizens' privacy, and to promote innovation and cooperation through the AI ecosystem at home and abroad.
"My Administration places the highest urgency on governing the development and use of AI safely and responsibly," President Biden writes in the Executive Order, "and is therefore advancing a coordinated, Federal Government-wide approach to doing so. The rapid speed at which AI capabilities are advancing compels the United States to lead in this moment for the sake of our security, economy, and society."
"In the end, AI reflects the principles of the people who build it, the people who use it, and the data upon which it is built," President Biden continues. "I firmly believe that the power of our ideals; the foundations of our society; and the creativity, diversity, and decency of our people are the reasons that America thrived in past eras of rapid change. They are the reasons we will succeed again in this moment. We are more than capable of harnessing AI for justice, security, and opportunity for all."
The headline of the Executive Order is the demand for new standards covering safety and security in artificial intelligence technology — including a linking with the Defense Production Act which will require companies developing "any foundation model that poses a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health" to notify the federal government during training and share details of all safety tests.
Other standards will, the Executive Order requires, be developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and cover "red-team" testing before services are released to the public, to be enforced by the Department of Homeland Security through the establishment of a new AI Safety and Security Board.
The Order also demands involvement by the Department of Commerce on the development of content authentication and watermarking standards, to be used to mark AI-generated content, and the establishment of a new cybersecurity program building on the existing AI Cyber Challenge.
With critical safety issues thus addressed, President Biden's Executive Order moves on to the protection of privacy — including a call to pass bipartisan data privacy legislation which would prioritize federal support for privacy-preserving technology in both the training and deployment of AI systems, the strengthening of cryptographic tools through the funding of a Research Coordination Network working with the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the development of guidelines for the evaluation of their effectiveness.
The Order also covers equity and civil rights, requiring that "clear guidance" is provided to landlords, federal benefits programs, and federal contractors to prevent AI being used to "exacerbate discrimination," the addressing of "algorithmic discrimination" present in AI models, and the publication of best practices for the use of AI in the criminal justice system.
President Biden has also made demands for the support of workers in the face of fears that AI could replace certain jobs, including principles to "mitigate the harms and maximize the benefits of AI for workers," while simultaneously encouraging cooperation and innovation in the AI industry both within the US and abroad.
"Today’s executive order is another critical step forward in the governance of AI technology," claims Brad Smith, Microsoft president, of the publication. "This order builds on the White House Voluntary Commitments for safe, secure, and trustworthy AI and complements international efforts through the G7 Hiroshima Process. AI promises to lower costs and improve services for the Federal government, and we look forward to working with US officials to fully realize the power and promise of this emerging technology."
The Executive Order is available on the White House website, with more information on the US government's dedicated site AI.gov.