Artificial intelligence has
been hailed for the promise of breakthrough innovations but also the object of
concern by such notable voices as Bill Gates, Stephen Hawkins, and Elon Musk.
To explore the issues presented, the White House conducted a review of the
opportunities, risks, and regulatory implications of artificial intelligence.
Last week, the White House released a comprehensive report, Preparing for the Future of
Artificial Intelligence, reflecting a culmination of its review, including
public comment and several public workshops that were co-hosted by the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy with the National Economic
Council, as well as non-profit and academic organizations.
The report found the prospect
that artificial intelligence can approach human capabilities is at least two
decades away, and that regulation should not retard its development and a
deeper understanding of the technologies involved. The areas where the report
identified the most promising benefits are in health care and transportation,
with major concerns being fairness and safety.
One notable area in which the
report found a beneficial relationship is cybersecurity. According to the
report, future artificial intelligence technology could apply predictive
analytics to anticipate and prevent cyber attacks, and some artificial
intelligence applications will require their own particular cybersecurity to
protect data and functionality. Currently, the operation and design of
cybersecurity demands a large investment of time and effort. Building on the
use of real-time monitoring systems to identify suspect activity on networks,
the White House proposes that the automation of some cybersecurity applications
could safeguard a wider range of systems at a lower cost, and ensure the
necessary rapid response in order to detect and avert cyber threats. Artificial
intelligence could prove to be the most cost-effective and powerful method to
evaluate data and identify vulnerabilities in order to stop cyberattacks.
Moreover, as the United States government’s cybersecurity needs grow,
artificial intelligence could serve as an effective defense against threats to
government networks and systems.
Other topics covered in the report
include: (1) applications of artificial intelligence, (2) artificial of
artificial intelligence, (3) artificial intelligence and regulation, (4)
research and the workforce, (5) artificial intelligence, automation, and the
economy, and (6) fairness, safety and governance.
According to the White House,
most RFI commenters consider the current regulation of artificial intelligence
sufficient and fear that broad regulation would stifle research and
development. Many commenters suggested that existing regulatory schemes adapt as
needed in response to the effects of artificial intelligence. As a leading
example of a measured regulatory response to artificial intelligence designed
to enable development but address safety concerns, the report highlights the
regulation of autonomous vehicles and aircraft by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
respectively. Earlier this year, as explained by the report, the FAA
promulgated a final rule authorizing non-recreational flights of unmanned
aerial systems (UAS) under 55 pounds, while limiting the flights to daytime and
an altitude no higher than 400 feet.
Similarly, the NHTSA established a federal
automated vehicles policy that provides guidance to manufacturers, a model state
policy, and an analysis of current regulatory tools that the NHTSA can utilize
to promote the safe use of automated vehicles.
Along with the artificial
intelligence report, the White National Science and Technology Council released National Artificial Intelligence
Research and Development Strategic Plan, intended to encourage
federal support for artificial intelligence R&D and guide priorities for
such research. The Administration also indicated that it will publish a
follow-on report in the coming months that further examines the impact of
artificial intelligence on jobs and the economy.
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