The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking proactive measures to implement technology responsibly across various strategic areas. The department plans to hire 50 artificial intelligence (AI) technology experts, an initiative spearheaded by Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO), Eric Hysen. The hiring event is scheduled for this spring.
In a recent DHS news release, it was mentioned that the AI experts will contribute towards mitigating child sexual exploitation, combating the distribution of fentanyl, securing travel and infrastructure, enhancing cybersecurity, and improving immigration services.
"As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and more accessible than ever before, government needs the support and expertise of our country’s foremost AI experts to help ensure our continued ability to harness this technology responsibly, safeguard against its malicious use, and advance our critical homeland security mission," said DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. He further added that the new AI Corps initiative would facilitate the entry of talented individuals into public service quickly. "The DHS AI Corps will enable the Department of Homeland Security to keep up with the pace of innovation as we enhance our work combating fentanyl traffickers, rescuing victims of child sexual exploitation, countering cyberattacks, assessing disaster damage and much more."
According to the same news release, the new DHS AI Corps is modeled after the U.S. Digital Service. It aims to strengthen the DHS workforce with AI technology while ensuring civil rights and privacy are protected. To expedite hiring qualified candidates swiftly, DHS is leveraging the Office of Personnel Management’s new open hiring rules for AI-related jobs.
Hysen emphasized on the urgency of their recruitment process stating: "We are recruiting faster than ever because the need is urgent." He pointed out that more Americans interact with DHS daily than any other federal agency; hence swift deployment of responsible AI can significantly benefit American citizens. "We are prioritizing recruiting talent who are technologically proficient and eager to leverage recent innovations in AI to transform the way people interact with the government."
