The U.S Vice President, Kamala Harris announced new policies to regulate how federal agencies make use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology in their operations. This follows President Biden’s Executive Order on AI announced in October 2021. The goal of these new policies, drafted by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is to address the risks associated with AI use, improve transparency, advance responsible AI innovation, expand the AI workforce, and strengthen AI governance.
The new policies require federal agencies to identify and manage AI risks and impact on the rights and safety of citizens. By December 1, 2024, all federal agencies should have put in place safeguards to mitigate risks such as discrimination due to algorithms and other societal impacts. Federal agencies failing to implement these safeguards are required to discontinue the use of the given AI tool.
To ensure transparency in the use of AI, federal agencies are obliged to publicly disclose an inventory of the AI tools they use, identify use cases that impact rights or safety, and how these are addressed. For national security and intelligence-related cases exempted from this disclosure, the agencies must still provide a report on AI system metrics, notify the public about the exempted use cases and provide a justification for their exemption.
As part of the plan to advance responsible AI innovation, the US government plans to ease the deployment of AI technology in various applications including tackling the climate crisis, responding to natural disasters, improving public healthcare, and public transportation. Additionally, agencies are encouraged to experiment with generative AI in a responsible manner.
In a bid to grow the AI workforce, the Biden-Harris administration has pledged to hire 100 AI professionals by Summer 2024 part of a program to ensure safe and trustworthy AI deployment in federal agencies. Prospective employees will be wooed with attractive perks including upfront pay incentives, relocation facilitation, flexible and remote working hours, and additional annual leave.
Federal agencies are also required to appoint Chief AI Officers in an effort to strengthen AI governance, to oversee all AI technologies used by the agency. An AI Governance Board will also need to be established to coordinate and govern AI usage across the agency.
OMB Director Shalanda Young emphasized that AI presents immense opportunities to improve public services and address societal issues such as climate change and public health. The new AI policies aim to help federal agencies unlock that potential while preserving the rights and safety of the public.
