President Joe Biden has signed an executive order aimed at evaluating and mitigating the risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure safety and trust in the software. The executive order will play a crucial role in building the United States' capacity to assess the potential dangers of AI and develop measures to address them.
According to a U.S. Department of Commerce press release, Joe Biden signed an executive order for the United States to expand capacity on evaluating the risks of artificial intelligence. The U.S. Department of Commerce will implement the executive order by combining sophisticated standards and evaluation capabilities through voluntary measures. "The Commerce Department plays a pivotal role in the U.S. government's approach to seizing the potential that comes with the development of advanced AI, while mitigating dangerous capabilities of risks to safety. Today's executive order reaffirms that leadership as our Department prepares to undertake significant responsibilities to carry out the President's vision to build a safer, more secure world," said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. "Building on the voluntary commitments secured from leading American companies earlier this year, the President is taking a critical step forward to facilitate and incentivize safe and responsible innovation in AI."
The Department of Commerce press release states that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will invoke the Defense Production Act to institute measures to enhance safety as next-generation frontier AI models are developed. This includes measurers that require developers to report the steps they are taking to test their models and protect them from theft. These measures will promote the safe development and use of AI. "AI technology is a powerful tool that can both be a force for good and potentially dangerous if developed and used unsafely or in the hands of malign actors," said Under Secretary for Industry and Security Alan Estevez. "The Bureau of Industry and Security stands ready to develop the regulations and procedures mandated by today's executive order that will enhance safety and protect our national security and foreign policy interests without hindering the ability for technological developments and trade to flourish."
To ensure the safety, security, and trustworthiness of AI systems, the executive order directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop and establish standards, tools, and tests. Without proper safeguards, AI can pose risks to Americans' privacy. President Biden is calling on Congress to pass bipartisan data privacy legislation to protect citizens. The executive order also directs federal agencies to prioritize the development and use of privacy-preserving techniques, strengthen privacy-preserving research and technologies, evaluate the collection and use of commercially available information, and develop guidelines for evaluating the effectiveness of privacy-preserving techniques.
These actions are crucial steps in the U.S.'s approach to safe, secure, and trustworthy AI. However, more action is needed, and the Biden Administration will continue to work with Congress to pursue bipartisan legislation that promotes responsible innovation and ensures America's leadership in the field of AI.
