The US government has commenced an investigation into artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure such systems work as claimed without causing harm.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is seeking public input on what policies should shape the AI accountability ecosystem through a request for comment.
The insights gathered will be used to inform the Biden administration’s ongoing work to ensure a cohesive and comprehensive federal government approach to AI-related risks and opportunities, NTIA said.
“Our inquiry will inform policies to support AI audits, risk and safety assessments, certifications, and other tools that can create earned trust in AI systems,” said NTIA administrator Alan Davidson.
“Responsible AI systems could bring enormous benefits, but only if we address their potential consequences and harms. For these systems to reach their full potential, companies and consumers need to be able to trust them.”
OpenAI’s language bot ChatGPT, which in January surpassed more than 100 million monthly users, has sparked broad excitement about the potential of AI.
However, some have urged caution around the technology. In March, a group of more than 1,100 tech executives and researchers, including entrepreneur Elon Musk, warned of the dangers of AI in an open letter, calling for a six-month pause on the development of AI systems like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard.
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