White House Takes On Artificial Intelligence; Releases New A.I. RFI
Written by Lulu Geller, with collaboration from Emily Green
On Tuesday, May 23, the Biden Administration rolled out their new efforts to focus on artificial intelligence (AI). The new plan, a roughly 40-page document called the “National AI R&D Strategic Plan,” provides an updated road map for AI research and development and the Department of Education’s report on the risks and opportunities associated with the emerging field. Following plans issued in 2016 and 2019.
The announcement from the White House’s Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) highlighted three new measures:
Focus on federal investments in AI research and development
The OSTP’s updated plan is the first of its kind since 2019, and it outlines the priorities and goals for federal investments in AI. The federal government identified a core objective of investing in R&D that promotes responsible innovations while upholding our democratic values.
The plan identifies nine key strategies, which include: long-term investments, human-AI collaboration, shared public datasets, efforts to better understand the national AI R&D workforce needs, strengthening Public-Private Partnerships in AI advances, and more.
Tuesday’s announcement doubles down on the 2019 investment strategy while addressing cross-border challenges in environmental sustainability, health care, and manufacturing.
A new report on the risks and opportunities of AI in education
The DOE introduced its insights and recommendations for AI, which focus on the relationship between educators, students, and AI and the importance of trust, safety, and new guardrails.
A new request for public input on critical AI issues
The OSTP is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to seek input on national priorities for mitigating the risks associated with AI, protecting individuals, and using the technology to improve lives. This will support the Administration’s effort to advance its AI management strategy.
Following the announcement, the White House hosted a listening session with workers to hear first-hand experiences with employers using AI technology for surveillance, monitoring, evaluation, and management. This session follows the RFI released by OSTP earlier in the month to advance the Administration’s understanding of the design, development, prevalence, and impacts of automated technologies that monitor and track workers. Some companies, including Amazon and Uber, have come under criticism from labor groups who say technologies designed to improve performance and efficiency can push them to accept unsafe working conditions.
The announcement of the National AI R&D Strategic Plan coincides with the emergence of an AI-generated fake image of a building near the Pentagon going up in smoke that circulated on social media. This image caused a brief plunge in the stock market, but once it was deemed AI, the markets recovered, and so did public concern. President Biden made it clear in the White House announcement that although AI is one of the most powerful technologies of our time, we must first manage its risks.
Artificial intelligence tools have also come under increased regulatory scrutiny as their widespread usage has expanded following the debut of Open AI’s ChatGPT. The Commerce Department said in April it was considering regulations that could require AI models to undergo a certification process before they are released. AI has also been a topic in Congress, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer saying Congress must move quickly to regulate artificial intelligence. He has also convened a bipartisan group of senators to work on legislation.
The Biden Administration plans to continue its response to AI through international cooperation. Last Saturday, G-7 leaders agreed to discuss issues around generative AI, like copyrights and disinformation. The Biden administration has also decided to partner with the European Union on how AI can be used to monitor extreme weather, traffic patterns, and health. The EU-US Transatlantic Trade Commission is meeting next week in Sweden, where it plans to issue a communique that addresses generative AI, among other emerging technology concerns.