WASHINGTON (AP) — New White House rules on the use of artificial intelligence by U.S. national security and spy agencies aim to balance the technology’s immense promise with the need to protect against its risks.
The rules announced Thursday are aimed at ensuring national security agencies have access to the latest and most powerful AI while limiting its misuse, according to Biden administration officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under the basic rules of the White House.
Recent developments in artificial intelligence have been hailed as potentially transformative for a long list of industries and sectors, including the military, national security and intelligence services. But there are risks associated with government use of the technology, including the possibilities that it could be leveraged for mass surveillance, cyberattacks or even lethal autonomous devices.
The new policy framework will ban certain uses of AI, such as any that would violate constitutionally protected civil rights or any system that would automate the deployment of nuclear weapons.
The rules also aim to promote responsible use of AI by directing national security and spy agencies to use the most advanced systems that also protect American values, the officials said.
Other provisions call for better security of the computer chip supply chain and for direct intelligence agencies to prioritize work to protect U.S. industry from foreign spying campaigns.
The guidelines were created in response to an ambitious executive order signed by President Joe Biden last year that directed federal agencies to develop policies for how AI can be used.
Officials said the rules are needed not only to ensure AI is used responsibly, but also to encourage the development of new AI systems and ensure the U.S. keeps pace with China and other rivals that also working to harness the power of technology.
Lethal autonomous drones, which can take out an enemy at will, remain a major concern in the military use of AI. Last year, the US issued a statement calling for international cooperation in setting standards for autonomous drones.
