Friday, May 31, 2024
Friday, May 31, 2024
The National Security Council and the White House chief of staff have been assigned to develop a National Security Memorandum detailing responsible military use of artificial intelligence, according to an executive order from President Biden today.
“The Executive Order establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, advances equity and civil rights, stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world and more,” the order states.
The order, which the Biden administration says builds upon previous AI directives, states the National Security Council and the White House chief of staff will develop a National Security Memorandum for “further actions on AI and security.”
“This document will ensure that the United States military and intelligence community use AI safely, ethically and effectively in their missions, and will direct actions to counter adversaries’ military use of AI,” the order states.
In July 2022, the Defense Department released the Responsible AI Strategy and Implementation Pathway, a framework for how it plans to further ethical artificial intelligence use throughout the military.
However, in June 2023 the Government Accountability Office said the government has yet to release a department-wide AI acquisition strategy, despite forming plans to invest billions into artificial intelligence.
“Although numerous entities across DOD are acquiring, developing or already using AI, DOD has not issued department-wide guidance for how its components should approach acquiring AI,” a June 29 GAO report stated.
The Executive Order released today, meanwhile, provides ethical outlines to proper development of artificial intelligence, including requiring that developers of the most powerful AI systems share vital information, like the results of their safety tests, with the U.S. government.
“In accordance with the Defense Production Act, the Order will require that companies developing any foundation model that poses a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety must notify the federal government when training the model and must share the results of all red-team safety tests,” the order states. “These measures will ensure AI systems are safe, secure, and trustworthy before companies make them public.”