President Biden is highlighting the new promises made by Big Tech companies to ensure the safety of artificial intelligence (AI) tools amid concerns about the potential harm caused by this emerging technology.
The White House is promoting these voluntary commitments as part of the administration’s efforts to address the dangers posed by AI while federal officials explore potential regulations and Congress debates proposed laws regarding AI.
On Friday, President Biden will meet with representatives from seven tech companies that develop AI products, including Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
The Biden administration will showcase the companies’ new commitments to develop AI in a safe, secure, and transparent manner. These commitments include testing products before public release, providing tools to help users understand AI-generated content, and investing in cybersecurity and insider threat safeguards.
According to a White House fact sheet, the companies will conduct internal and external security testing of their AI systems, with independent experts involved in the process, to address risks such as biosecurity, cybersecurity, and broader societal effects.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee panel in May, has also called for AI regulations to prevent misuse and manipulation.
Concerns about the potential risks associated with AI are not limited to OpenAI. Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, recently launched a new startup called xAI and has warned lawmakers about a potential “Terminator future” resulting from the misuse of AI.
The new commitments made by AI companies also include measures to prevent these tools from falling into the wrong hands. The companies pledge to invest in cybersecurity and insider threat safeguards to protect their proprietary and unreleased model weights.
These commitments come after Google expressed concerns about the vulnerability of its work to China during a closed-door meeting with lawmakers in May.
There are also worries about foreign nations using AI tools to influence American politics. Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, President Biden’s nominee to run the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, expressed concerns about foreign nations using generative AI to meddle in the upcoming 2024 election cycle.
The success of these commitments depends on the companies’ willingness to follow through on their promises. Additionally, these commitments do not directly address other AI developers, including those in hostile nations like Russia and China.
While Congress examines the rapid development and adoption of AI tools and considers the need for new laws, the Biden administration is also preparing executive actions to address the issue.
