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Biden Stresses the Importance of AI Safeguards

By  |  July 24, 2023
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At the White House Friday, President Joe Biden discussed the role of government in managing the risks of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. In a meeting with leaders from seven major AI companies – Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI – the President highlighted the new voluntary commitments the companies have made to improve safety and transparency.

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    “It is astounding, artificial intelligence, or – it promises, an enormous, enormous promise of both risk to our society and our economy and our national security, but it also incredible opportunities, incredible opportunities,” President Biden said.

    The companies agreed to allow outside security testing of their products, share data about managing the risks of AI with governments, civil society, and academia, and create a way to acknowledge content that’s created by their AI products with a digital watermark.

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    “These commitments, these commitments are a promising step, but that we have a lot more work to do together. Realizing the promise of AI, by managing the risk is gonna require some new laws, regulations, and oversight,” President Biden said. “In the weeks ahead, I’m gonna continue to take executive action to help America lead the way toward responsible innovation. And we’re going to work with both parties to develop appropriate legislation and regulation.”

    Related: White House To Hold First-Ever Senate Briefing On Artificial Intelligence

    Praising the companies’ commitments, the President noted, “We’ll have to stay on top of AI advances to ensure that it’s done safely and securely and ethically.” He also drew connections between the need for proper safeguards for AI and those for social media, saying, “Social media has shown us the harm that powerful technology can do without the right safeguards in place.”

    Today’s meeting at the White House follows Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s June call for Congress to play a unique role in regulating AI technology. In a 11-page framework document, he argued for tougher stance on AI.

    “As we look to the future, there is no limit to what technology can do, and no limit to which the potential risks of that technology can expand,” he wrote. “That is why we believe it is essential for Congress to step up and set the tone for what a responsible AI future looks like.”

    President Biden’s emphasis on managing the risk of AI through executive action and legislation indicates the need for thoughtful and comprehensive measures in order to realize its potential without putting public safety, security or welfare at risk. He concluded his remarks by reminding everyone in the room, “I’m the AI.” It was a reminder that his hope, and our hope, is to see AI be used responsibly and for the benefit of all.

    Source: ABC News