The White House has announced a $140 million investment to establish seven artificial intelligence (AI) research hubs across the nation, in addition to releasing new AI guidance.
This announcement precedes a scheduled meeting between Vice President Kamala Harris and executives from leading tech companies, including Alphabet, Anthropic, Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI, later today, as was reported by Cryptopolitan.
Efforts to Mitigate AI Risks
The Biden administration says it seeks to address security risks associated with rapidly advancing AI technology and to emphasize the role of AI companies in minimizing potential harm in the early stages of development.
OpenAI, creator of the widely used AI tool ChatGPT, and Anthropic, another prominent startup, are among the companies participating in the meeting.
The White House will release guidelines on AI use by government agencies, and AI developers are expected to agree to have their products reviewed during the DEF CON cybersecurity conference in August.
Funding for the proposed research hubs will come from the National Science Foundation, increasing the total number of AI research institutes in the country to 25.
Impact and Concerns Surrounding AI
As AI becomes increasingly prevalent in daily life, concerns regarding national security and misinformation have arisen due to an influx of fake images, videos, and robot-generated text.
AI’s influence on American politics is also evident, with Republicans recently releasing an AI-generated video in response to President Joe Biden’s reelection bid.
President Biden has acknowledged the potential dangers of AI, stating that tech companies have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe before releasing them to the public.
The White House has made addressing AI issues a priority, releasing a “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights” last year and outlining the creation of a National AI Research Resource.
In February, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at preventing bias and discrimination in AI technologies from their inception.
This move reflects the administration’s commitment to addressing the challenges and risks associated with AI as the technology continues to develop and integrate into various aspects of society.
