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Biden Administration Issues AI Safety Executive Order
On Monday the Biden-Harris Administration released an executive order to establish secure and safe practices for the use of AI-based technology.
The order lays out a series of guidelines for tech firms and other industries using AI that "protects Americans’ privacy, advances equity and civil rights, stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world, and more," read the order.
The order looks to address safety and privacy concerns across the following highlighted eight areas:
- Standards for AI safety and security. This will include companies developing AI systems to provide safety testing data to the U.S. Government and developing industry standards and testing tools. Further, protections will be placed to stop the use of AI technology to create biological materials, and a cybersecurity program will be created to develop AI tools to detect fraud and help discover vulnerable software.
- American privacy. The order calls on Congress to pass data privacy legislation that will lead to the development and deployment of federally directed privacy techniques and tools, and will evaluate how agencies collect data from commercially available AI systems and tools.
- Equality and civil rights. Along with the previous issuing the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, today's executive order looks to prohibit the use of AI algorithms by federal contractors to engage in discrimination and ensures that the justice system conducts in a fair manner when using AI technology in sentencing and forensic analysis.
- Consumer, patient and student rights. The federal government will push for the "responsible use" of AI technology to create life-saving and affordable medication, and will help to create tools to assist educators by providing personalized tutoring plans and other AI tools.
- Worker support. The Biden administration will lead the development in creating best practices "to mitigate the harms and maximize the benefits of AI for workers." It will also produce and distribute a market report detailing the impact AI has had on the workforce.
- Innovation and competition. Monday's order looks to promote a fair and competitive AI ecosystem in the U.S. through research grants and expanded access for immigrants to work and study AI in the U.S.
- International AI leadership. The U.S. will help to facilitate international collaboration in the AI space and help promote AI best practices that will put safety and privacy at the forefront.
- Responsible government use of AI. This will include guidance issued to agencies when using AI, helping agencies to find the AI tools that will best assist them and the hiring of AI professionals to federal agencies.
The Biden administration said Monday's executive order is just one step into ensuring safe and secure AI, and it calls on Congress to continue by enacting sensible legislation that will ensure safe AI practices.
"The actions that President Biden directed today are vital steps forward in the U.S.'s approach on safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, read the order. "More action will be required, and the Administration will continue to work with Congress to pursue bipartisan legislation to help America lead the way in responsible innovation."