The Biden administration is calling for a “ governmentwide AI talent surge” across the federal workforce to build up its capacity to lead on this emerging technology.
President Joe Biden, in an executive order Monday, is requiring agencies to set comprehensive policies for how they will use AI tools internally to further the business of government.
The White House, in a fact sheet, said the executive order also “directs the rapid hiring of AI professionals, as part of a governmentwide AI talent search.”
Biden, speaking at the White House, said that “without the right safeguards in place, AI can lead to discrimination, bias and other abuses.”
“AI is all around us. Much of it is enhancing our lives,” President Biden emphasized. “However, in certain instances, AI is having a negative impact.”
President Biden explained that his executive order offers explicit instructions to federal contractors and agency programs. The goal is to avoid the introduction of bias in AI tools, which could influence decisions regarding an individual’s eligibility for housing, benefits, or employment opportunities.
On Monday afternoon, President Biden officially signed the executive order, with the presence of top officials from various agencies, including the Labor Department, the Commerce Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Small Business Administration, who were in attendance at the ceremony. governmentwide AI talent
In addition to the attendees mentioned earlier, the President was joined by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), whose district encompasses Silicon Valley.
President Biden is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday to discuss the potential for AI-related legislation. Senator Schumer stressed the necessity of such legislation to uphold the objectives outlined in the executive order, extending its impact beyond companies with federal contracts.
“Executive orders have their limitations, and the President and I are in agreement that we need legislation to solidify what the President has initiated, while also broadening and strengthening it,” Schumer shared with reporters following the ceremony.
He continued, “For the most part, legislation is essential to ensure the enforcement of these rules, expand their reach, and ensure compliance from all parties, not just those with government contracts.”
The executive order, operating under the Defense Production Act, mandates that companies developing AI foundation models with a “serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health” must inform the federal government during the model’s training process.