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AI tools shouldn't "endanger the rights and safety of the American people."
Image credit: Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
As the AI revolution is getting closer and more issues arise from its use, the US has finally started working on regulations that should keep people safe. The White House has taken steps to implement Joe Biden's executive order meant to keep an eye on the federal government's use of AI.
"I believe that all leaders from government, civil society and the private sector have a moral, ethical and societal duty to make sure that artificial intelligence is adopted and advanced in a way that protects the public from potential harm while ensuring everyone is able to enjoy its benefits," Vice President Kamala Harris said (via Engadget).
There are three binding requirements under a new Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policy. Agencies will need to ensure the AI tools they use "do not endanger the rights and safety of the American people." "Concrete safeguards" have to be placed until December 1 so the systems don't impact people's safety or rights. If the requirement is not met, the agency will have to stop using the AI product unless it can justify that removing the system would have an "unacceptable" impact on critical operations.
The policy deems an AI tool dangerous if it is used or expected to be used, in real-world conditions, to control or significantly influence the outcomes of" certain activities and decisions, like maintaining election integrity and voting infrastructure; controlling critical safety functions of infrastructure like water systems, emergency services and electrical grids; autonomous vehicles; and operating the physical movements of robots in "a workplace, school, housing, transportation, medical or law enforcement setting."
"Purposes that the policy presumes to impact rights defines include predictive policing; social media monitoring for law enforcement; detecting plagiarism in schools; blocking or limiting protected speech; detecting or measuring human emotions and thoughts; pre-employment screening; and 'replicating a person’s likeness or voice without express consent,'" says Engadget.
As for generative AI, agencies should think about potential benefits and "establish adequate safeguards and oversight mechanisms that allow generative AI to be used in the agency without posing undue risk."
The second requirement orders agencies to be transparent about the AI they use. "Today, President Biden and I are requiring that every year, US government agencies publish online a list of their AI systems, an assessment of the risks those systems might pose and how those risks are being managed," Harris said.
So agencies will need to publish government-owned AI code, models, and data unless it harms the public or government operations.
Finally, federal agencies will have to keep an eye on their AI use internally, appointing a chief AI officer in every department. "This is to make sure that AI is used responsibly, understanding that we must have senior leaders across our government who are specifically tasked with overseeing AI adoption and use," Harris commented.
As the OMB suggests, the Transportation Security Administration may have to let travelers opt out of facial recognition scans without threats of delay. Moreover, there should be human oversight over AI fraud detection and diagnostics decisions in the federal healthcare system.
"AI presents not only risk, but also a tremendous opportunity to improve public services and make progress on societal challenges like addressing climate change, improving public health and advancing equitable economic opportunity," OMB Director Shalanda Young said. "When used and overseen responsibly, AI can help agencies to reduce wait times for critical government services to improve accuracy and expand access to essential public services."
Perhaps the regulations will help people feel safer and protect their rights, although we're still far from full AI control. At least it is one more step forward.
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