The U.S. will continue to advance AI innovation based on American values, in stark contrast to authoritarian governments: Op-ed by  Michael Kratsios

The White House on Tuesday enunciated ten principles to guide federal agencies in the development of laws and regulations addressing artificial intelligence (AI), reported The Hill.

The Memorandum issued by the White House makes it clear that the regulations are a step forward in the drive to ensure America remains a global leader in AI.

American leadership, innovation, and growth

“The deployment of AI holds the promise to improve safety, fairness, welfare, transparency, and other social goals, and America’s maintenance of its status as a global leader in AI development is vital to preserving our economic and national security,” says the Memorandum.

Accordingly, the principles are drafted to ensure a regulatory approach that “fosters innovation, growth, and engenders trust, while protecting core American values.”

“This would be achieved through both regulatory and nonregulatory actions and reducing unnecessary barriers to the development and deployment of artificial intelligence.”

Furthermore, “agencies must avoid a precautionary approach that holds AI systems to such an impossibly high standard that society cannot enjoy their benefits.”

The ten principles

1. The government’s regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to Artificial Intelligence should promote reliable, robust, and trustworthy AI applications. These will contribute to public trust in AI.
2. Agencies should provide ample opportunities for the public to provide information and participate in all stages of the rulemaking process.
3. Agencies should develop regulatory approaches to AI observing the principles of scientific integrity in the rulemaking and guidance processes.   These should both inform policy decisions and foster public trust in artificial intelligence.
4. Regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to AI should be based on a consistent application of risk assessment and risk management. 
5. Agencies should when consistent with law, carefully consider the full societal costs, benefits, and distributional effects before considering regulations related to the development and deployment of artificial intelligence applications.
6. They should pursue performance-based and flexible approaches that can adapt to rapid changes and updates to AI applications.
7. Agencies should consider, following the law, issues of fairness and non-discrimination concerning outcomes and decisions produced by artificial iintelligence.
8. In addition to improving the rulemaking process, transparency and disclosure can increase public trust and confidence in AI applications.  They should address questions about how the application impacts human end users.
9. Agencies should promote the development of AI systems that are safe, secure, and operate as intended. They should encourage the consideration of safety and security issues throughout the AI design, development, deployment, and operation process.
10. Lastly, Agencies should coordinate with each other to share experiences and to ensure consistency and predictability of AI-related policies. These should advance American innovation and growth in AI.

Bloomberg op-ed by Michael Kratsios, U.S. CTO

“The principles promote a light-touch regulatory approach,” said Kratsios in the op-ed. This means the agencies would avoid “preemptive, burdensome or duplicative rules that would needlessly hamper AI innovation and growth.”

Further, Kratsios stressed the need for America and its allies to retain their preeminent position in AI innovation. This was especially important given that other authoritarian countries use technology to undermine human rights.

“Europe and our other international partners should adopt similar regulatory principles that embrace and shape innovation, and do so in a manner consistent with the principles we all hold dear,” wrote Kratsios.

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