In the face of rising concerns over the potential far-reaching consequences of artificial intelligence (AI) on facets of life ranging from national security to public health, United States President Joe Biden has taken decisive action. He has introduced an all-encompassing executive order to regulate the progression of artificial intelligence. Biden stated on Thursday, “To unlock the potential benefits of AI and mitigate its risks, it is crucial we establish governance over this technology. In the absence of appropriate controls, AI could provide a convenient tool for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the software that underpins our society.”
Biden’s executive order encompasses a clause that necessitates the developers of the most high-powered AI models to inform government bodies of their endeavours and submit the results of their safety testing. It also mandates the National Institute of Standards and Technology with the task of crafting stringent standards for AI testing before its market launch. In addition, it also directs the Department of Commerce to formulate guidelines to identify AI-generated content. Furthermore, agencies financing projects in the life sciences must establish a robust new framework for biological synthesis screening to ensure AI does not have the potential to create biohazards.
Biden further urged the US Congress to enact legislation to protect data privacy. He also appealed to the Department of Justice to address issues related to “algorithmic discrimination” prevalent among landlords and federal benefits programmes.
Bruce Reed, the Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House, praised the initiatives as “the most robust set of measures any global government has ever implemented regarding AI safety, security and trust”. He further described them as the “next phase in a proactive strategy to utilise every possible avenue to maximise the benefits of AI and minimise the risks”.
The fears around the hazards of AI have amplified exponentially since the unveiling of Open AI’s ChatGPT last year. This advanced AI model took regulators and government officials across the globe by surprise with its capabilities.