In The News: Navigating the New AI Standards
AI technology can be a transformative force for businesses and the broader society. Recognizing the importance of AI, governments worldwide are taking steps to regulate and set standards for this powerful technology. The United States recently took a significant step forward issuing new standards to address the safety, security, privacy, and trustworthiness of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The New Standards for AI Safety and Security lay out a comprehensive framework for AI standards in the United States. This is in recognition that AI is not a buzzword; it’s a pervasive technology that impacts industry and our day to day lives. Establishing AI standards is crucial to ensure security and safety as well as ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed responsibly.
The new AI Standards provide for several key provisions, including:
AI Safety and Security:
- Requiring developers of powerful AI systems to become more transparent in sharing safety test results and critical information with the U.S. government.
- Developing rigorous standards, tools, and tests for AI safety and security, enforced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Homeland Security.
- Establishing safeguards against the misuse of AI in engineering dangerous biological materials.
- Creating standards and best practices for detecting AI-generated content and authenticating official content.
- Developing advanced cybersecurity programs using AI to find and fix vulnerabilities in critical software.
- Ordering the development of a National Security Memorandum by the National Security Council and White House Chief of Staff for the responsible and ethical use of AI in the military and intelligence community.
Protecting Americans’ Privacy:
- Prioritizing federal support for the development of privacy-preserving techniques, especially those using AI, to safeguard individuals’ privacy while training AI systems.
- Funding research and development of privacy-preserving technologies, including cryptographic tools.
- Evaluating and strengthening privacy guidance for federal agencies regarding commercially available information, especially data containing personally identifiable data.
- Developing guidelines for federal agencies to assess the effectiveness of privacy-preserving techniques, including those used in AI systems.
These new standards mark a pivotal moment in the development and deployment of AI in the United States. The focus on safety, ethics, and transparency, should be seen as a positive effort to guide the growth of AI technology in a responsible and innovative manner. It should also be seen as a harbinger of future legislation given the considerable regulatory attention AI is garnering in both the United States and Europe.
AI is an essential part of the modern operation environment. I, and the Evolving Solutions team, are committed to understanding and sharing both AI regulations and innovations will impact our clients as help them achieve better outcomes.
