On Thursday, the US National Security Council will issue its first brief on artificial intelligence (AI), directing federal agencies to deploy the “most powerful” AI systems while weighing the risks involved with the new technology.
The National Security Memorandum (NSM) outlines the United States’ approach to using AI for national security and foreign policy goals, “to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of AI,” according to senior administration officials.
“We are directing that the agencies gain access to the most powerful AI systems and put them to use, which often involve substantial efforts on procurement,” the government officials explained.
The NSM, signed by President Biden, serves as the basis for the AI Safety Institute in the Department of Commerce, which has already given recommendations on safe AI development and engaged into agreements with corporations to test new AI systems before they are exposed to the public.
“This is our nation’s first-ever strategy for harnessing the power and managing the risks of AI to advance our national security,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said during a presentation to students at National Defense University in Washington.
Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence have been heralded as potentially revolutionary for a wide range of industries and sectors, including the military, national security, and intelligence.
However, there are concerns associated with governments’ exploitation of the technology, such as the possibility of mass spying, hacks, or even lethal autonomous devices.
The framework published Thursday also bars national security services from using specific applications, such as those that violate constitutionally protected civil rights or any technology that automates nuclear weapon deployment.