By james art US President Joe Biden’s administration has issued a National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI as part of a plan to put more safeguards on its development and ethical uses.
The NSM also seeks to build international consensus and governance around AI.
This marks the latest effort by the US government to introduce guidelines for how AI is used by major companies such as OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and Microsoft.
It directs federal agencies to improve the security and diversity of chip supply chains and ensure that as the U.S. supports the development of government supercomputers and other emerging technologies, it does so “with AI in mind.”
The Biden administration’s memo said other nations want to reverse U.S. leadership in the artificial intelligence sector by using “economic and technological espionage in attempts to steal” technology.
“This NSM makes gathering the operations of our competitors against our AI sector a top-level intelligence priority and directs relevant US government entities to provide AI developers with the timely cybersecurity and counterintelligence information needed to protect their inventions .”
The memorandum requires US agencies to “monitor, assess and mitigate AI risks related to invasions of privacy, bias and discrimination, the safety of individuals and groups, and other human rights violations.”
It formally designates the AI Safety Institute as the primary point of contact for US industry within the US government.
The AI Safety Institute will work in tandem with additional US security agencies, including the intelligence community, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.
The NSM also directs the US government to cooperate with allies and partners to ensure that AI “is developed and used in ways that adhere to international law while protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.”