10/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/25/2024 14:11
Highlights
The White House considers AI to be "era-defining technology," and says the U.S. must use "responsible speed" to partner with industry and civil society to use AI for national security - or risk "losing ground to strategic competitors"
The White House says the government "must harness powerful AI, . . . to achieve national security objectives," while respecting "democratic values with regard to transparency, human rights, civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, and safety"
The White House also wishes to attract noncitizens highly skilled in AI to live and work in the U.S., and directed the State Department and the Department of Defense to attract and bring such individuals to the U.S.
On Oct. 24, 2024, the White House released a memorandum regarding the U.S.' need to advance its leadership in the development and use of AI models and AI-enabled technologies. The memorandum dubs these technologies as "era-defining technology," as global competition surges for primacy in the AI space. The memorandum directs the U.S. government to implement concrete and impactful steps to: 1) ensure that the U.S. leads the world's development of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI; 2) harness cutting-edge AI technologies to advance the U.S. government's national security mission; and 3) advance international consensus and governance around AI.
White House Policy Objectives
The memorandum declared that it is the policy of the U.S. to preserve its "competitive edge in AI development" by promoting and securing "domestic AI progress, innovation, and competition" and enhancing "innovation and competition by bolstering key drivers of AI progress, such as technical talent and computational power."
The memorandum also stated that it is a "national security priority" to advance "the lawful ability of noncitizens highly skilled in AI to enter and work in the United States."
In furtherance of these goals, the U.S. must "protect United States industry, civil society, and academic AI intellectual property and related infrastructure from foreign intelligence threats to maintain a lead in foundational capabilities."
The memorandum outlines three main objectives to promote these policy declarations, including:
The memorandum also emphasized the need to attract skilled international talent, enhance innovation, and secure the U.S. AI ecosystem against foreign threats. In doing so, it outlined specific actions and assessments to strengthen the nation's competitive edge in AI, including improving visa processes for skilled workers and advancing AI-related technological resources.
Critical Actions in Furtherance of Objectives
The AI memorandum outlines several critical actions deemed necessary in furtherance of the above objectives. Specifically:
Direction to Government Agencies
The memorandum also outlines specific actions and policies for U.S. government agencies to enhance and protect AI capabilities in line with national security goals, including:
These actions aim to ensure that the U.S. maintains its leadership in AI while safeguarding national security and democratic values.
Takeaways
The White House's memorandum underscores the importance of AI technology and the government's desire to enhance, extend, and protect the competitive advantage in that technology enjoyed by the U.S. It also emphasizes the need to lead the international development of governance standards and norms that are consistent and conducive to the democratic values espoused by the U.S. Readers should familiarize themselves with the entire memorandum and continue to watch for further developments of U.S. policy, especially given potential changes from the next administration.
For more information, please contact the Barnes & Thornburg attorney with whom you work or Nicholas Sarokhanian, chair of the firm's Artificial Intelligence practice, at 612-367-8795 or [email protected], Lyric Menges at 310-284-3774 or [email protected], or Michelle Rosario at 202-831-6720 or [email protected].
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