US Government to Implement AI Safeguards for Federal Agencies

At a time when everyone from small businesses to large corporations is making use of Artificial Intelligence technologies to improve the organization's efficiency and productivity, the White House is making headlines as it has issued a notification to the Federal Agencies to adopt new AI safeguards.

The White House on Thursday 28th, March 2024, said that it is making it mandatory for federal agencies to adopt concrete AI safeguards by December 1st of this year to protect American citizens' rights and ensure safety as the US Government desires to expand the AI use in a wide range of applications.

This notification is issued by the Office of Management and Budget. According to the directive, the federal agencies of the US Government must monitor, assess, and test AI’s impacts "on the public, mitigate the risks of algorithmic discrimination, and provide the public with transparency into how the government uses AI."

The data of their observation will be made available to the public as per the issued directive. The Federal agencies are also required to conduct and record "risk assessment" and prepare metrics for the operation and governance of the usage of AI technologies.

The White House said agencies "will be required to implement concrete safeguards when using AI in a way that could impact Americans' rights or safety" including detailed public disclosures so the public knows how and when artificial intelligence is being used by the government.

The White House is requiring government agencies to release inventories of AI use cases, report metrics about AI use, and release government-owned AI code, models, and data if it does not pose risks.

There are numerous federal agencies that are making use of AI technologies for smoother operations. To name a few, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the US Government is using AI technologies to predict and prevent the spread of various diseases as well as to prepare their cure. Federal Emergency Management Agency is using AI technologies to predict hurricanes and other weather phenomena.

Among the masses, AI technologies are pointed out as job snatchers and catastrophe bringers which is quite a negative image of a technology with such great potential. As I have said numerous times before, if employed correctly, AI technologies will revolutionize our lives and the very world in which we dwell.

The Governments of various countries including India have taken an interest in the implementation of this marvellous technology. Let's see what future awaits for AI techs and its applications.

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