For most of 2023, the tech world has been waiting for something, anything to happen on AI regulation. Thought leaders from the industry, from Elon Musk to Bill Gates to OpenAI kingpin Sam Altman, even visited Congress multiple times to advise DC on how to act on the technology widely seen as revolutionary. On Monday, the White House took action with an executive order that reaffirms its commitment to regulating AI. The procedures outlined in the document are similar to what other governments have said about regulating AI, but experts in the field say it goes further than that.
Called “comprehensive” and “smart” by AI experts who spoke with Fortune, the document also has legal teeth the government can sink into AI powerhouses that don't comply with its directives. “This is the first executive order we’ve seen that actually has a legal requirement in addition to something that’s just highly recommended,” said Neil Serebryany, CEO of CalypsoAI, which helps organizations like the Air Force and Lockheed Martin secure its AI models.
