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Executive Order on Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government

  • 1.  Executive Order on Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government

    Posted 12-03-2020 19:15

    I wanted to share with you news of today's signing of an Executive Order on Promoting the Use of Trustworthy AI in the Federal Government.  Please see below for more details.

     

    Thank you,

    Jeff Cohen

     

    THE WHITE HOUSE
    Office of Science and Technology Policy

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    December 3, 2020

     

    President Donald J. Trump Signs Executive Order on Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government 

     

    Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order on Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government, which establishes guidance for Federal agency adoption of AI technologies to more effectively deliver services to the American people. The Executive Order (EO) provides nine principles for the design, development, acquisition, and use of AI in government, along with a policy process for implementing these principles.  These principles are designed to foster public trust and confidence in the use of AI, and ensure that the use of AI protects privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.  

     

    "Artificial intelligence can be an important tool to help modernize government and ensure Federal agencies are effectively and efficiently delivering on their missions on behalf of the American people. The Trump Administration is committed to advancing AI innovation that benefits all Americans and is underpinned by American values. This Executive Order will foster public trust in the technology, drive government modernization, and further demonstrate America's leadership in artificial intelligence," said Michael Kratsios, U.S. Chief Technology Officer. 

     

    The EO creates a first-of-its-kind common guidance to encourage Federal agencies to utilize AI technologies, consistent with these principles, to better deliver on their missions, such as reducing outdated or duplicative regulations, combating fraud, and streamlining application processes.

     

    It includes four important actions:

     

    1. Principles for the Use of AI in Government

    The EO directs Federal agencies to be guided by nine common principles for the design, development, acquisition, and use of AI. These principles emphasize that AI use by Federal agencies must be lawful; purposeful and performance-driven; accurate, reliable, and effective; safe, secure, and resilient; understandable; responsible and traceable; regularly monitored; transparent; and accountable. These principles build upon related principles already established by the defense and intelligence communities, and are designed to cover Federal applications beyond defense and national security.

     

    1. Common Policy for Implementing Principles

    The EO establishes a process for implementing these principles through common policy guidance across agencies. The order directs OMB to develop and post a roadmap for policy guidance to better support the use of AI by agencies, consistent with this order. The order further calls on agencies to continue to use voluntary consensus standards developed with industry participation, as appropriate.

     

    1. Catalogue of Agency Use Cases of AI 

    The EO directs each agency to prepare an inventory of use cases of AI by the agency, and review and assess these use cases for consistency with this order. These inventories will be shared with other agencies, as appropriate, to improve interagency coordination for advancing the implementation of the principles in the design, development, acquisition, and use of AI.

     

    1. Enhanced AI Implementation Expertise 

    The EO directs the General Services Administration to establish an AI track within the Presidential Innovation Fellows program to attract experts from industry and academia to work within agencies to further the design, development, acquisition, and use of AI in government. The order further directs the Office of Personnel Management to determine how rotational programs can be best used to expand the number of employees with AI expertise at the agencies.

     

    Through this EO, the United States is signaling to the world its continued commitment to the development and use of AI underpinned by democratic values.

     

    Today's announcement builds upon critical efforts by the Trump Administration to strengthen American leadership in artificial intelligence. President Trump launched the American AI Initiative, the United States national strategy for advancing our global leadership in the field, and committed to double Federal non-defense AI research and development investment. Earlier this year, the White House announced the establishment of seven new AI research institutes around the country and released Federal guidance on the regulation of AI technologies in the private sector. 

     

    Learn more about the Executive Order here.

     

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    Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA
    Director, Public Affairs & Marketing
    INFORMS
    jeff.cohen@informs.org
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