Commerce Department Launches AI Board, Seeks Candidates

The U.S. Commerce Department is forming an artificial intelligence (AI) committee that will work alongside the National AI Initiative Office (NAIIO) in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and advise the president and federal departments about pertinent issues.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a press release on Thursday (Sept. 9) that “top-level candidates” are currently being sought to serve on the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC).

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“AI presents an enormous opportunity to tackle the biggest issues of our time, strengthen our technological competitiveness and be an engine for growth in nearly every sector of the economy,” said Raimondo. “But we must be thoughtful, creative and wise in how we address the challenges that accompany these new technologies. That includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that President Biden’s comprehensive commitment to advancing equity and racial justice extends to our development and use of AI technology. This committee will help the federal government do that by providing insights into a full range of issues raised by AI.”

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The formation of the committee comes the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, which called on the Secretary of Commerce to establish the NAIAC in conjunction with the OSTP director and other federal agencies — the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General.

“We have seen major advances in the design, development and use of AI, especially in the past several years,” said Eric Lander, White House science advisor and OSTP director. “We must be sure that these advances are matched by similar progress in ensuring that AI is trustworthy and that it ensures fairness and protections for civil rights.”

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Experts from an extensive range of AI domains are being recruited to comprise the NAIAC, including accomplished leaders from “across academia, industry, nonprofits and civil society, and federal laboratories,” according to the release.

The goal is to have qualified authorities on the committee who can proffer counsel and insight on AI concerning science and tech research, ethics, standards, education, security and more. Since AI is already transforming economic rivalry and presenting new national security concerns, NIST is poised to affirm that all AI advancements are fostered and utilized responsibly.