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US, China meeting this week to talk AI safety, risks
CyberScoop (May 13, 2024)
On Tuesday, representatives of the United States and the People’s Republic of China will meet in Geneva to discuss regulation around artificial intelligence, as both superpowers weigh their options and positions in the global tech hierarchy. While no formal deliverables are expected, the exchange of views will hopefully open communication channels for further discussions – particularly regarding technical and military risks. Both countries have made investment in AI development a top priority in domestic policy.
Women in AI Interview: Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick wants to pass more AI legislation
TechCrunch (May 12, 2024)
As part of TechCrunch’s ongoing interview series with “remarkable women who’ve contributed to the AI revolution,” Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick of the Georgia House was interviewed about her career and her work on the body’s AI Subcommittee. Her largest concerns with the new technologies: fraud and data privacy, alongside a fear that governments won’t properly balance innovation with civil rights considerations. Read the full interview for her insights.
AI Safety Institute releases new AI safety evaluations platform
UK Government (May 10, 2024)
As part of the UK AI Safety Institute’s ongoing investigative work, the AI body of the UK government released its new AI evaluations program on Friday – designed to accelerate the work on AI safety evaluations being carried out across the globe. Inspect is an open-source software library, which “enables testers – from start ups, academia and AI developers to international governments – to assess specific capabilities of individual models and then produce a score based on their results”
NSF is piloting an AI chatbot to connect people with grants
FedScoop (May 10, 2024)
To connect the public with grant opportunities, the National Science Foundation is piloting an AI chat-bot that will do just that, while also using the new tool as an experiment for future incorporation processes. The new bot was trained using the NSF’s proposal guide and can educate users about grants – following information from users about their identity, and outstanding questions. Despite generating connections for innovation within the field, the chatbot is NSF’s first pilot of a public-facing tool with AI capabilities.
TikTok to start labeling AI-generated content as technology becomes more universal
Associated Press (May 9, 2024)
Following recent legislation to fundamentally ban the app from the United States and an ongoing lawsuit in retaliation, TikTok has announced its intent to start labeling AI-generated content on its platform in advance of the 2024 elections. In a statement, the company announced its shift in policy comes due to concerns about deep fakes confusing or misleading viewers – though the platform has asked creators to label realistic AI for over a year now.
Lack of reimbursement hindering AI adoption, American College of Radiology warns Congress
Radiology Business (May 8, 2024)
In a letter to U.S. Representative Ami Bera, the CEO of the American College of Radiology warned Congress that widespread adoption of AI technologies will depend on legislators’ ability to tackle the “cost” problem. Even as innovation-minded medical fields, like radiology, are generating interesting uses for the technology, equitable adoption will require a reimbursement system “to prevent a two-tier system of care where some patients will have access to AI as part of their care and others will not,” CEO Thorwarth Jr., MD emphasized.
Generative AI is maturing in state government, officials say
StateScoop (May 8, 2024)
Recent comments from state CIOs show that movement on state AI legislation is quickly moving from task forces and early policy ideation to real projects. However, despite such opportunity for a bettering of public services with AI support, apprehension still penetrates: “Most officials StateScoop interviewed advocated initially only to pursue ‘low risk’ uses of AI, such as implementations that don’t have direct contact with the public and don’t automate decisions, though each state varies in its willingness to automate tasks.”
HHS Shares Plan for Promoting Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence – in Automated and Algorithmic Systems by State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments – in the Administration of Public Benefits
HHS (April 29, 2024)
Two weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publicized its plan to ensure uses of AI within the agency are responsibly developed, implemented, and effectively enhance the administration of public benefits. Revisit the full plan, which outlines how cross-examining OMB’s guidance with HHS’s systems for delivering public benefits generated specific areas for the agency to address AI implementation under.
OPM issues generative AI guidance, competency model for AI roles required by Biden order
FedScoop (April 29, 2024)
Two weeks ago, the Office of Personnel Management issued its guidance for the federal workforce on competent, ethical, and skills-based uses of AI technologies within agencies. Revisit FedScoop’s full coverage ahead of that announcement, which places the guidance within the broader context of President Biden’s October executive order and OPM’s prior efforts to outline and authorize incentives and direct hire authority for bringing knowledgeable workers into federal AI positions.
