U.S. government investment in artificial intelligence (AI), which amounted to $4.38 billion in 2022, is designed to benefit not only national security and government operations but also American society. This two-pronged approach has led to discoveries about the advantages of AI in areas beyond governance, including healthcare, transportation, the environment, and others.

Starting with an endorsement of “man-machine cooperation” by then-President John F. Kennedy’s Science Advisory Committee in 1962, numerous presidential administrations have encouraged AI research and knowledge, including in the workforce, education, and government. These efforts included an Obama administration 2016 report titled “Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence;” the Trump administration’s “American AI Initiative,” launched in 2019; and the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Bid🌄en administration’s executive order on the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,” issued in October 2023.

As AI technology advances, the government is exploring ways to harness and leverage it in its operations while setting and maintaining appropriate guardrails.

AI Initiatives in the U.S. Government

President Joe Biden’s October 2023 executive order (EO) on the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence” provides extensive guidance for government involvement in AI.

Primary Directives

The Biden EO directs U.S. government agencies to establish safety and security standards, protect privacy, advance equity and civil rights, promote innovation and competition, and advance American AI leadership worldwide. An overview of the document’s eight primary directives follows.

New Standards for AI Safety and Security

The EO directs government agencies to ensure robust, reliable, repeatable, and standardize✤d testing and evaluations of AI systems. Thཧe administration will also help develop adequate labeling and mechanisms to ensure the origin of AI content.

Promoting Innovation and Competition

AI-related education, training, development, research, and capacity investments must be leveraged to address specific 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:intellectual property (IP) questions. Agencies must promote competition by providing small developers access to technical assistance and encouraging the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to exercise its authority to enforce competition and pꦓrotect consumers.

Supporting Workers

Government departments must develop principles and best practices to mitigate the harms and maximize the benefits of AI for workers. This will require addressing 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:job displacement, labo📖r standards, workplace equity, 𒉰health and safety, and data collection.

Advancing Equity and Civil Rights

Government use of AI will comply with all federal laws and promote substantive oversight and engagement with all communities to protect against unlawful 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:discrimination and abuse. Cওoordination between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and federa💫l civil rights offices will play a significant role in these efforts.

Standing Up for Consumers, Patients, and Students

To protect consumers and promote the responsible use of AI in domains such as healthcare and education, the administration will enforce existing consumer protection laws and enact safe🍌guards against fraud, unintended bias, privacy violations, and other harmful effects. This will include advancing the responsible use of AI💧 in developing affordable and lifesaving drugs and advancements in other health-related areas.

Protecting Americans’ Privacy

The lawful, secure collection, use, and retention of data must promote privacy by directing federal agencies to use privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) where beneficial. ♕Congress is also urged to pass bipartisan data privacy legislation.

Ensuring Responsible and Effective Government Use of AI

Agencies will ensure the responsible government deployment of AI and work to modernize federal AI infrastructure in various domains, such as regulation, governance, benefits, procurement, and security. The government will further acce🧸lerate hiring AI professionals as part of a government-wide AI talent surge led by the Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Digital Service, the U.S. Digital Corps, and the Presidential Innovation Fell꧙owship.

Advancing American Leadership Abroad

Government agencies are directed to engage with international partners to develop a framework to manage AI risks while advancing American leadership in safety, security, trust, and AI development. This will include the expansion of bilateral, multilateral, and multistakeholder collaborations on AI; accelerated development and implementation of vital AI standards with international partners; and promoting safe, responsible, rights-affirming development and deployment of AI worldwide.

AI Initiatives a𝓡nd Projects in Government Agencies

President Biden’s October 2023 executive order mandates U.S. government agencies to pursue various AI initiatives. For example, the president directed the organization of an interagency council to coordinate AI development, assess the ability of federal agencies to adopt AI, and address national security risks and benefits.

Highlights of the main initiatives for 𓄧different agencies are shown in the table below.

Ensuring Responsible Use of AI in Government

Government agencies regularly call for the responsible use of AI. This includes mandates for compliance with laws that protect privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. The benefits of AI come with potential pitfalls that create a need to establish 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:strong guardrails to ensure AI ke♌eps people safe and doesn’t violate individual rights.

AI Safety and Security

Section 4 of the Biden EO addresses AI system vulnerabilities through the Defense Production Act of 1950. AI companies must report safety test results and other information for systems that may pose national security or infrastructure risks. Federal agencies must establish guidance and standards for safe AI development and use and promote research and collaboration to address potential risks. Workforce development plans for integrating AI technology are also required.

Ethical Considerations and Privacy Concerns

AI has raised ethical concerns about privacy, bias, accountability, and transparency. Despite ideological differences between administrations, government AI policies have attempted to address these concerns since 2016. AI systems require large amounts of data, which can raise privacy concerns. Bias can result from training AI systems on non-representative data, leading to discriminatory outcomes. AI decisions can have significant impacts on individuals, making accountability critical. The transparency of AI decision-making processes is also important for individuals to understand how and why decisions are made.

Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in꧅ Government Services

AI can offer several benefits to the government, such as improved efficiency, accuracy, and decision making. AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up employees to focus on higher-value tasks. AI can eliminate errors and inconsistencies for improved accuracy and consistency of government services. AI can facilitate data-driven and evidence-based decisions, as well as personalized and responsive services. Additionally, AI can save costs by reducing the need for manual labor and streamlining processes.

AI has shown benefits in specific areas, such as healthcare, transportation, the environment, and delivery of government benefits. HHS leverages AI to solve problems and improve patient outcomes. The DOT uses AI in three areas: drone operations, traffic management, and railroad safety. AI is used in the environment to monitor natural resources and predict natural disasters. AI can also reduce the workload for workers and assist caseworkers. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses data analytics and computer systems to process claims more efficiently.

Challeng❀es and the Future of AI in Government Servi🐻ces

AI constantly evolves, and potential advancements include improving accuracy and efficiency, creating more 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:human-like systems, personalizing medicine, an♔d addressing global challenges.

However, implementing AI in government services has several challenges, such as a lack of skilled personnel, data privacy and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:security concerns, integration with existing systems, and transparency and accountability. Addressing these challenges requires a collaborative approach involving government agencies, AI developers, domain experts, and citizens. Governments need to invest in training, establish clear policies and guidelines, and engage citizens to build trust and ensure accountability.

The Bottom Line

The potential of AI to transform government services and improve public wel🐬fare is imm✱ense. AI can help streamline bureaucratic processes, enhance decision-making capabilities, and enable more efficient delivery of public services.

For example, AI-powered chatbots can provide 24/7 customer support, reducing wait times and improving the overall experience for citizens. AI can also be used to analyze vast a🎉mounts of data t✤o identify patterns and trends, which can inform policy decisions and resource allocation.

Bꦍy harnessing the power of AI, the government can enhance its capacity to serve its citizens and improve the overall well-being of its communities. Additionally, the use of AI in government services may be imperative to achieve eff🍌iciency, accuracy, and cost containment, especially as both the number of government services and the population continue to expand.

While advantages of AI—especially in healthcare, transportation, the environment, and benefits delivery—are numerous, responsible use of AI in government requires establishing strong guardrails 🦄and addressing ethical and privacy concerns.