VP Harris announces new requirements for how federal agencies use AI technology
CNN
By the end of the year, travelers should be able to refuse facial recognition scans at airport security screenings without fear it could delay or jeopardize their travel plans.
By the end of the year, travelers should be able to refuse facial recognition scans at airport security screenings without fear it could delay or jeopardize their travel plans. That’s just one of the concrete safeguards governing artificial intelligence that the Biden administration says it’s rolling out across the US government, in a key first step toward preventing government abuse of AI. The move could also indirectly regulate the AI industry using the government’s own substantial purchasing power. On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a set of new, binding requirements for US agencies intended to prevent AI from being used in discriminatory ways. The mandates aim to cover situations ranging from screenings by the Transportation Security Administration to decisions by other agencies affecting Americans’ health care, employment and housing. Under the requirements taking effect on Dec. 1, agencies using AI tools will have to verify they do not endanger the rights and safety of the American people. In addition, each agency will have to publish online a complete list of the AI systems it uses and their reasons for using them, along with a risk assessment of those systems. The new policy from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) also directs federal agencies to designate a chief AI officer to oversee how each agency uses the technology. “Leaders from governments, 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 full benefit,” Harris told reporters on a press call Wednesday. She said the Biden administration intends for the policies to serve as a global model.
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