AI and Elections
It’s almost too late to protect our elections from AI — Congress must act now - The Hill, By Sourav Ghosh, September 20, 2024
“What’s needed are new federal laws that, at a minimum, accomplish two things: prohibit ads that fraudulently deceive and manipulate voters, and require disclaimers on political ads that use AI regardless of the medium used to distribute those ads. First, Congress should ban the use of deepfakes in ads featuring candidates or election workers. There is no place in our democracy for outright lies and manipulation about our elections. While the First Amendment protects free expression, it does not protect fraudulent speech. Second, Congress should require disclaimers on political ads appearing in any medium, which inform viewers when the ad’s content has been materially created, altered or disseminated with AI. Disclaimers on the face of a communication will put voters on notice that something they are seeing or hearing has been altered, giving them the opportunity to investigate the changes, or at least treat the message with the required degree of skepticism.”
AI and Lawmaking
House announces new AI policy establishing guardrails, approval process - Fedscoop, By Madison Alder, September 19, 2024
“The Committee on House Administration and Office of the Chief Administrative Officer announced the implementation of a new House-wide policy Thursday for the safe deployment of artificial intelligence tools by member and institutional offices. That policy, which was not released in full, ‘provides a framework for the expanded use of AI in the House,’ according to an overview from the CAO. It also establishes guardrails and principles to guide members and offices and includes a process by which the Administration Committee — known as CHA— and CAO will approve AI tools for use cases. Implementation of the policy comes as there’s been some, though seemingly limited, experimentation with the AI-based tools by lawmakers’ offices in both chambers. Similar to guidance established by executive agencies, the policy appears to strike a balance between permitting uses that could bring efficiencies while ensuring those uses are safe, responsible and secure.”
Could Congress Leverage AI to Help Restore Faith in US Democracy? - TechPolicy.Press, By Lorelei Kelly, September 17, 2024
“In an era of low trust and extreme social polarization, a people-centered First Branch LLM could help restore legitimacy to democratic government. While elections are the ultimate form of accountability in democracy, a Constituent Voice Archive would provide a way for members to receive feedback and make adjustments outside of election cycles. As local data becomes more valuable and productive, it would create incentives for members to better represent all constituents, not just voters and campaign donors.”
AI and IR
UAE seeks closer AI, tech ties in Biden talks as China interest stirs US concern - Reuters, By Alexander Cornwell, September 23, 2024
“President Biden will meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed to discuss the UAE's AI ambitions and deepening tech ties with the U.S. The UAE, seeking greater access to American technology, has removed Chinese investments to align more closely with U.S. interests. Despite concerns over the UAE's ties with China, the U.S. sees potential in strengthening AI collaboration. Meanwhile, China also aims to partner with the UAE in AI, making the Gulf state a key player in the global AI arena.”
AI for Governance
United States and Eight Companies Launch the Partnership for Global Inclusivity on AI - The US Department of State, September 23, 2024
Secretary of State Antony Blinken launched the Partnership for Global Inclusivity on AI at the UN General Assembly, bringing together major tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. The partnership, backed by over $100 million, aims to harness AI for sustainable development in developing countries, focusing on expanding AI access, building technical skills, and improving local data. The U.S. government announced additional initiatives, including $33 million in funding to promote responsible AI use and address global challenges like democracy, human rights, and misinformation. Participating companies committed to significant investments in AI infrastructure, training, and open-source innovation, particularly in the Global South.
Rwanda, Singapore Launch World's First AI 'Playbook' at UN Summit - All Africa, By Edwin Ashimwe, September 23, 2024
“Rwanda and Singapore on Sunday, September 22, jointly launched the AI Playbook for Small States, covering best practices from members of the Digital Forum of Small States (Digital FOSS) on implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategies and policies in their countries. The resulting playbook is designed to help these nations overcome barriers and harness the transformative power of AI. The AI Playbook contains insights from Digital FOSS members across the globe, offering a comprehensive view of how small states have approached AI adoption.”
IBM, NASA, Oak Ridge National Lab announce open-source AI model for weather, climate AIScoop, Madison Alder, September 23, 2024
“A new open-source artificial intelligence model developed by IBM, NASA, and the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory could address weather and climate prediction challenges for scientists, developers and businesses. “The NASA foundation model will help us produce a tool that people can use: weather, seasonal, and climate projections to help inform decisions on how to prepare, respond, and mitigate,”Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said in a statement included in the release.
Federal government outpacing state, local agencies on AI adoption, survey finds - Statescoop, By Sophia Fox-Sowell, September 19, 2024
“The survey found that 59% of total respondents reporting that they have access to AI tools provided by their agencies. Forty-eight percent of state and local agencies use AI tools daily, compared with 64% of federal agencies. Amy Jones, a public sector AI lead at EY, pointed out that federal agencies, such as the Department of Energy and Department of Defense, are responsible for an entire country, which creates a sense of urgency to more quickly adopt emerging technologies. ‘State and local generally have concerns over data privacy and the use of AI systems that are potentially biased in the way that they create outcomes in the community, so we’re seeing a lot more hesitation in the state and local area,’ Jones said in an interview with StateScoop. ‘I think that they’re feeling, from a regulatory perspective, maybe one or two steps behind those mission-focused areas on the federal side.’”
Governing AI
NIST Needs an Independent Foundation to Support its Role in Shaping AI Policy - Tech Policy Press, By Clara Lengevin, September 23, 2024
“The US Senate Committee on Commerce and Science recently debated ten proposed AI bills, ranging from adopting AI technologies to cementing the US leadership in AI standards setting. Seven of the bills defined new activities for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a federal agency housed within the Department of Commerce (DOC) that, in recent years, has come to the forefront of AI policy.NIST is synonymous with rigorous research and efficient collaboration with academia, industry, and even international stakeholders for the creation of voluntary standards. But what can it do to more aggressively shape AI policy? Does it have enough support and resources to undertake all of its new AI-related activities?”
OECD and UN announce next steps in collaboration on Artificial Intelligence - OECD, September 22, 2024
“UN-OECD collaboration will focus on regular science and evidence-based AI risk and opportunity assessments. The two organizations will leverage their respective networks, convening platforms and ongoing work on AI policy and governance to support their member States and other stakeholders in their efforts to foster a globally inclusive approach.”
California governor signs laws to protect actors against unauthorized use of AI - AP, By Trân Nguyễn, September 19, 2024
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off Tuesday on legislation aiming at protecting Hollywood actors and performers against unauthorized artificial intelligence that could be used to create digital clones of themselves without their consent. The new laws come as California legislators ramped up efforts this year to regulate the marquee industry that is increasingly affecting the daily lives of Americans but has had little to no oversight in the United States. The laws also reflect the priorities of the Democratic governor who’s walking a tightrope between protecting the public and workers against potential AI risks and nurturing the rapidly evolving homegrown industry.”
The New UN Global Digital Compact. What It Is, And Why We Matter. - Forbes, By Cornelia C. Walther, September 22, 2024
“The Global Digital Compact is a UN initiative designed to lay down a set of shared principles and guidelines for how digital technologies should be governed globally. Its focus ranges from securing human rights in the digital space to ensuring the responsible use of emerging technologies such as AI. The GDC outlines several core principles, objectives, and actions aimed at shaping digital governance for sustainable development.”
AI in Technology
‘Cat and Mouse’: Keeping Up With the Evolution of AI - Government Technology, By Julia Edinger, September 22, 2024
“Today, the rapid advance of AI poses a “cat and mouse problem,” according to Sarah Bargal, assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown University, who led one event session. It is a cycle in which AI models are released, followed by deepfake disruption algorithms to mitigate risk, and then the creation of new AI models. The rise of big data is a major factor in why AI is evolving at the rate it is today, Bargal said. When the artificial neuron was first introduced decades ago, large-scale data sets were not readily available as they are now. To effectively make AI-powered systems work in government, agencies need to know what data is being input into them and ensure that it accurately represents the population being served, said Grant Fergusson, Equal Justice Works fellow and counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, during a session.”
AI and Public Engagement
Mapping AI Narratives at the Local Level - Medium, By Urban AI, September 20, 2024
This year-long project is designed to curate the organization of events dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) across the territory. The primary aim of this initiative is to foster dialogue among local stakeholders, enabling them to engage in meaningful discussions, exchange ideas, and develop a shared understanding of AI’s impact on the region. Over the course of one year, the Nantes metropolitan area will host around sixty events focused on AI [1], bringing together a wide range of participants, including policymakers, businesses, researchers, and civil society.
Rethinking ‘Checks and Balances’ for the A.I. Age - The New York Times, By Steve Lohr, September 24, 2024
“Stanford University's Digitalist Papers, inspired by the Federalist Papers, explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society and democracy. The project, led by Erik Brynjolfsson and Condoleezza Rice, emphasizes the need for public involvement in AI policy to prevent tech company dominance. Through essays, the initiative highlights examples like citizen assemblies in Ireland and Taiwan, where public input shaped policy. Contributors debate AI's potential to either strengthen or undermine democracy, advocating for governance systems that guide AI development while upholding democratic values.”
