At the White House, where he signed an executive order seeking to advance the enormous benefits of Artificial Intelligence, and curtail its equally large dangers, President Joe Biden said, “We need to govern this technology.”
The executive order, which has the force of law, sets new standards for safety, security, and trustworthy development of AI. It means, said President Biden, “companies must prove that their most powerful systems are safe before allowing them to be used:”
“That means companies must tell the government about large-scale AI systems they’re developing and share rigorous independent test results to prove they pose no national or security or safety risk to the American people. ... I will direct the Department of Energy to make sure AI systems don’t pose chemical, biological, or nuclear risks at the same time.”
Second, to protect against fraud and deceit, the executive order charges the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop standards to watermark and clearly label AI-generated content. “That way, you can tell whether it’s real or not…Trust matters,” President Biden said.
Third, the executive order will help develop new protections for personal data to better protect an individual’s privacy. The order also directs actions to ensure that AI’s algorithms do not promote discrimination in hiring, housing, or in the justice system.
Fourth, the executive order charges the federal government to investigate ways to support workers affected by a disruption to the labor market because of AI; and to make sure that AI is used responsibly in healthcare and the development of affordable and life-saving drugs.
“Finally,” President Biden said, “We’re going to make sure America leads the world in innovation and attracts the top talent to stay at the cutting edge.”
“And because AI’s challenges and opportunities are global, we’re going to keep advancing American leadership globally,” he said. “We will continue to work closely with allies and partners, including the United Nations … and the G7, which just set out the first-ever international code of conduct to safely guide AI development.”
“As Artificial Intelligence expands the boundary of human possibility and tests the bounds of human understanding,” declared President Biden, “this landmark executive order is a testament to what we stand for: safety, security, trust openness, American leadership, and the undeniable rights endowed by our Creator that no creation can take away.”
