The increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised widespread apprehension among Americans. In educational settings, there is anxiety among educators that students may resort to AI for academic dishonesty in exams and research papers.
Moreover, there is a prevailing unease in the labor market about the potential displacement of well-compensated employment opportunities for middle-class Americans due to AI. The entertainment industry, specifically Hollywood, saw a strike initiated by writers and actors, partly driven by concerns over the rapid technological advancements.
Presently, President Joe Biden has enacted the inaugural executive order in the history of the United States that pertains to artificial intelligence. Additionally, he is garnering backing from a prominent figure within the liberal sphere.
President Biden took action on October 30 by signing an executive order focused on unlocking the opportunities and addressing the concerns associated with artificial intelligence, according to the vision of his administration.
This order introduces new rules related to security and safety, with the goal of protecting the privacy of the American citizens, bolstering the country’s global leadership, promoting innovation and competition, advancing civil rights and equality, and championing the interests of both workers and consumers.
The Executive Order states the following:
- Requires developers to share critical information and other safety tests with the government in accordance with the Defense Production Act;
- Orders the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop tools, tests, and standards to ensure AI systems are secure, safe, and trustworthy;
- Protects against the dangers of bad actors using AI to engineer dangerous biological materials;
- Prevents Americans from falling victim to AI-enabled deception and fraud by creating standards for detecting AI-generated content;
- Orders the White House chief of staff and National Security Council to develop a National Security Memorandum that ensures the intelligence and military communities use AI technology ethically, safely, and effectively when they are deployed on missions, and;
- Establishes a cybersecurity program to develop tools to fix weaknesses in critical software to make networks more secure.
Former President Barack Obama released a statement regarding the executive order (EO), commending President Biden for his initiative. In his statement, he lauded the President’s policies for their focus on fostering innovation while mitigating the significant challenges posed by AI technology. Moreover, he expressed his belief that Congress should take a cue from Biden’s approach and enact enduring legislation.
