Executive Order on New Standards for AI Safety and Security

On Monday, October 30, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Along with issuing the Executive Order, President Biden spoke to industry leaders, members of Congress, and members of his Cabinet to highlight the five pillars of this Executive Order (EO). These pillars are summarized as follows. 

1. Ensure the U.S. sets the standard for safety, security, and trust in AI.

• AI is the most consequential technology of this time. The EO ensures that it will be properly governed and regulated. The EO demands responsible innovation.

• President Biden is invoking the Defense Production Act to ensure companies prove that their most powerful AI systems are safe before allowing them to be used. Using the Defense Production Act signals the high priority of this issue.

• Companies that develop foundation models posing a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety will be required to put their AI models through rigorous safety tests and share the results with the federal government.

• The Department of Energy will ensure AI systems don’t pose a chemical, biological, or nuclear threat.

• The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense will address AI system threats and enhance cybersecurity protections.

• The EO will prevent cutting-edge AI chips from being used to undermine national security.

• Agencies that fund life-science projects will establish new standards for biological synthesis screening.

• The National Security Council and White House Chief of Staff will develop a National Security Memorandum directing further actions on AI and security to ensure its safe, ethical, and effective use.

• The EO ensures that AI’s abilities are harnessed, and its potential harms - like creating addictive social media - are mitigated. Read more.