Setting New Standards and Safeguards for Responsible AI Development and Deployment

In a historic move, President Biden issues a landmark Executive Order aimed at positioning America as a global leader in harnessing the potential and mitigating the risks of artificial intelligence (AI). This comprehensive order establishes groundbreaking standards for AI safety and security, prioritizes privacy protection, advances equity and civil rights, advocates for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, and bolsters American leadership worldwide.

A Pioneering Approach to AI Governance and Responsibility

As part of the broader Biden-Harris Administration strategy for responsible innovation, this Executive Order builds upon earlier initiatives, including securing voluntary commitments from 15 leading companies dedicated to ensuring the safe and trustworthy development of AI.

Elevating AI Safety and Security Standards

Recognizing the expanding capabilities of AI and its implications for safety and security, the President’s Executive Order directs unprecedented actions to safeguard Americans from potential risks associated with AI systems:

• Mandating that developers of powerful AI systems share safety test results and critical information with the U.S. government.
• Introducing standards, tools, and tests to ensure AI systems are safe, secure, and trustworthy, with rigorous red-team testing overseen by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
• Addressing AI’s potential risks in critical infrastructure, biological synthesis screening, content authentication, and cybersecurity through innovative measures and collaborations.

Protecting Privacy in the Age of AI

To counter the potential threats AI poses to privacy, the President calls on Congress to pass bipartisan data privacy legislation and directs actions to:

• Prioritize federal support for privacy-preserving techniques in AI development.
• Fund research coordination networks to advance breakthroughs in privacy-preserving technologies.
• Evaluate and strengthen privacy guidance for federal agencies regarding commercially available information containing personally identifiable data.

Advancing Equity, Civil Rights, and Responsible AI Use

Recognizing the dangers of AI-driven discrimination, the Executive Order outlines steps to:

• Provide clear guidance against discrimination in housing, federal benefits programs, and federal contractor practices.
• Address algorithmic discrimination through coordinated efforts between the Department of Justice and Federal civil rights offices.
• Ensure fairness in the criminal justice system by developing best practices for AI use in various aspects of law enforcement.

Balancing Consumer Benefits and Protections

While acknowledging AI’s potential benefits for consumers, the President directs actions to:

• Advance responsible AI use in healthcare for the development of life-saving drugs.
• Support educators in deploying AI-enabled educational tools, ensuring responsible transformation in education.

Supporting Workers in the AI Era

In response to the evolving job landscape due to AI, the President directs actions to:

• Develop principles and best practices to mitigate harms and maximize benefits for workers.
• Produce a report on AI’s potential labor-market impacts and identify options for federal support for workers facing disruptions.

Fostering Innovation, Competition, and International Collaboration

To maintain America’s leadership in AI innovation and foster international collaboration, the Executive Order directs actions to:

• Catalyze AI research across the U.S. through the National AI Research Resource pilot and expanded grants for vital research areas.
• Promote a fair, open, and competitive AI ecosystem, providing support for small developers and entrepreneurs.
• Accelerate the development and implementation of vital AI standards with international partners.

Ensuring Responsible Government Use of AI

To harness the benefits of AI in government while addressing associated risks, the President directs actions to:

• Issue guidance for agencies’ use of AI, emphasizing rights protection and safety.
• Streamline AI product and service acquisition for government agencies.
• Facilitate a government-wide AI talent surge to modernize federal AI infrastructure.

As the Administration continues to work on a strong international framework for AI governance, these actions mark significant progress in the U.S.’s commitment to responsible and innovative AI development and deployment. For more information and opportunities to engage with the Federal AI workforce, visit AI.gov.

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