Vice President Kamala Harris announced action by the Biden administration to protect the privacy and civil rights of the American people from government use of AI.
According to a White House fact sheet:
Today, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is issuing OMB’s first government-wide policy to reduce the risks of artificial intelligence (AI) and realize its benefits – by achieving a core objective . part of President Biden’s important AI Executive Order. The Order led to sweeping action to strengthen AI safety and security, protect Americans’ privacy, advance equality and civil rights, stand up for consumers and workers, promote innovation and competition, strengthen U.S. leadership around the world to promote, and more. Federal agencies reported that they have completed all 150-day actions mandated by the EO, building on their previous success in completing all 90-day actions.
This multifaceted direction to federal departments and agencies builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s track record of ensuring America leads the way in responsible AI innovation. In recent weeks, OMB announced that the President’s budget is investing in agencies’ ability to responsibly develop, test, acquire and integrate transformative AI applications across the federal government.
To receive more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
…
By December 1, 2024, federal agencies will be required to implement concrete safeguards when using AI in a way that could impact the rights or safety of Americans. These safeguards include a set of mandatory measures to reliably assess, test and monitor the impact of AI on the public, limit the risks of algorithmic discrimination and provide the public with transparency into how government uses AI. These safeguards apply to a wide range of AI applications, from healthcare and education to employment and housing.
Vice President Kamala Harris announces protections against government use of AI
Vice President Harris explained to PoliticusUSA on a call with reporters how the Biden administration is prioritizing privacy when the government uses AI.
Harris said:
We’re announcing new standards to protect rights and safety when government agencies use AI tools. We will now demand that they verify that those instruments do not endanger the rights and security of the American people.
I’ll give you an example. If the Veterans Administration wants to use AI in VA hospitals to help doctors diagnose patients, they must first demonstrate that AI does not produce racially biased diagnoses. So I give as an example. The second binding requirement concerns transparency. The American people have the right to know that when and how their government uses AI, it is doing so responsibly. And we want to do it in a way that holds leaders accountable for the responsible use of AI. Transparency, in our view, should often facilitate accountability.
And so today, President Biden and I are demanding that U.S. government agencies publish online each year a list of their AI systems and an assessment of the risks those systems may pose and how those risks are managed. Third, and finally, a requirement relating to internal supervision. We have directed all federal agencies to appoint a chief AI officer with the experience and authority to oversee everything. I’m going to emphasize that all AI technologies used by that agency, and this is to ensure that AI is used responsibly, recognizing that we must have within our government senior leaders specifically charged with oversight on the adoption and use of AI.
While Trump and the Republicans are taking away freedom and rights, Biden and the Democrats are using the power of government to protect rights.
Remember the Patriot Act and the violations of American privacy and rights created after September 11? In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration is using the power of government to protect rights.
The Biden administration has demonstrated great policy foresight, and their commitment to protecting rights and freedoms has better positioned America in a rapidly changing modern world.
Jason is the editor-in-chief. He is also a White House press pool and congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Pricing and professional memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association