The White House recently issued an executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI to address security risks while harnessing the technology’s potential benefits. The order directs leading AI labs to notify the U.S. government of training runs that produce models with potential national security risks, instructs the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop frameworks for how to adversarially test AI models, and establishes an initiative to harness AI to automatically find and fix software vulnerabilities.
The order also takes steps to promote innovation and competition in the AI sector, including catalyzing AI research across the United States and expanding grants for AI research in vital areas like healthcare and climate change.
New Standards for AI Safety and Cybersecurity
Key provisions of the executive order include addressing cybersecurity concerns, privacy, and defending American interests from AI threats, foreign and within its own borders:
- Improving the detection of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents on federal government networks: The order requires federal agencies to employ all appropriate resources and authorities to maximize the early detection of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents on their networks. This includes increasing the federal government’s visibility into and detection of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats to agency networks.
- Promoting the development and deployment of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI: The order directs the NIST to develop guidance and standards for the development and deployment of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI. This guidance will be based on principles such as transparency, accountability, and fairness.
- Catalyzing AI research across the United States: The order establishes a pilot program called the National AI Research Resource, which will provide AI researchers and students access to key AI resources and data. The order also expands grants for AI research in vital areas like healthcare and climate change.
- Protect against the risks of using AI to engineer dangerous biological materials by developing strong new standards for biological synthesis screening. Agencies that fund life-science projects will establish these standards as a condition of federal funding, creating powerful incentives to ensure appropriate screening and manage risks potentially made worse by AI.
- Order the development of a National Security Memorandum that directs further actions on AI and cybersecurity, to be developed by the National Security Council and White House Chief of Staff. This document will ensure that the United States military and intelligence community use AI safely, ethically, and effectively in their missions, and will direct actions to counter adversaries’ military use of AI.
Several other key provisions include ensuring ethical fairness for AI use within the criminal justice system; respecting privacy; accounting for algorithmic bias; and shaping AI’s potential to transform education.
The executive order is a significant step forward in the U.S. government’s efforts to address the challenges and opportunities posed by AI. It is important to note that the order is voluntary, but it is expected to have a significant impact on the way that AI is developed and deployed in the United States and around the world.
AI Executive Order Implications
There are several implications for the tech industry with the long-awaited executive order issued by the White House this week.
First, it signals that the U.S. government is serious about addressing the cybersecurity risks posed by AI. Companies that develop AI systems will need to mitigate these risks, such as conducting extensive red-team testing or promoting bug bounty programs for responsible vulnerability disclosures. Companies developing AI solutions must be able to demonstrate transparency and accountability.
Second, the order will likely accelerate the development of standards for safe and trustworthy AI. Adopting a consistent approach to explainable AI, or “xAI”, will be key to helping assure the public and future clients to trust AI systems.
Third, the order’s focus on innovation and competition is a positive step for the tech industry. The federal government is investing in AI research and is taking steps to promote the development of new AI applications. This will create new opportunities for tech companies and will help the United States to maintain its leadership in AI.
