The White House Unveils Policies for Federal AI Use

The White House unveiled comprehensive policies governing the federal use of artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to mitigate risks while harnessing the technology's benefits on Thursday.

"The Order directed sweeping action to strengthen AI safety and security, protect Americans' privacy, advance equity and civil rights, stand up for consumers and workers, promote innovation and competition, advance American leadership around the world, and more," the White House said in a recently-released fact sheet.

The White House Unveils Comprehensive AI Guidelines

Vice President Kamala Harris announced the new rules laid out by the Office of Management and Budget, emphasizing the importance of ensuring AI tools do not compromise the rights and safety of the American people.

Under the new guidelines, federal agencies must implement concrete safeguards when utilizing AI, ensuring transparency and accountability in managing risks associated with AI applications.

These safeguards encompass assessing, testing, and monitoring AI impacts on the public, mitigating algorithmic discrimination, and providing transparency into the government's AI usage.

For instance, agencies deploying AI in critical areas like healthcare must ensure human oversight to verify the tools' results and prevent disparities in healthcare access. If an agency cannot adhere to these safeguards, it must cease using the AI system unless justified by increased risks or operational necessity.

Additionally, the policy mandates expanded transparency in AI usage by federal agencies, requiring them to release annual inventories of AI use cases, report metrics on sensitive use cases, and notify the public of any AI exemptions.

Furthermore, the White House aims to advance responsible AI innovation by removing barriers to federal agencies' AI initiatives. AI technology presents opportunities to address societal challenges such as climate crisis response, public health, and public safety.

The guidance encourages agencies to responsibly experiment with AI, with adequate safeguards in place.

Growing the AI Workforce

The administration focuses on growing the AI workforce to support these efforts, directing agencies to expand and upskill their talent pool. The President's Budget includes funding to bolster AI training programs and hire additional AI professionals to promote AI's safe and trustworthy use.

Moreover, to ensure accountability and oversight, federal agencies are required to designate Chief AI Officers and establish AI Governance Boards to coordinate and govern AI usage.

Federal agencies must implement specific safeguards by December 1, 2024, when employing AI in manners that could affect the rights or safety of Americans.

"This guidance places people and communities at the center of the government's innovation goals. Federal agencies have a distinct responsibility to identify and manage AI risks because of the role they play in our society, and the public must have confidence that the agencies will protect their rights and safety," the White House's fact sheet reads.