President Joe Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence is setting up a tug of war between those who fear agencies empowered under it will overstep their bounds and those who worry the government won’t do enough.
Last month’s order requires multiple departments to collect public comments, draw up new regulations and prepare a slew of reports. It hands significant responsibilities to the Homeland Security and Commerce departments, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is charged with developing safety standards.
The secretary of Homeland Security is directed to establish an advisory AI Safety and Security Board to improve security. The Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services departments must develop regulations for responsible use of AI in their respective fields.
