The White House on March 28 directed all US federal agencies to appoint Chief AI Officers.
Vice President Kamala Harris described the far-reaching nature of the role, noting that AI chief officers will “oversee all – I’m going to emphasize that – all” use of AI within each agency.
She added that these officials must have “experience, expertise and authority” to ensure AI is used responsibly within government.
Officials from various agencies have been meeting since December to coordinate efforts to ensure compliance with the new rules, according to a fact sheet.
Federal agencies must also establish AI governance councils by May 27 to coordinate and govern the use of AI. As of March 28, only four agencies have established such a board.
Other requirements
The White House also outlined several other demands. Government agencies using AI must implement safeguards by December 1, 2024. These requirements require monitoring of public impact and will reduce algorithmic discrimination. Specific pledges include protecting rights related to healthcare, airport travel and fraud detection in government services.
Federal agencies must also increase transparency around their use of AI. This requirement requires each agency to release a comprehensive annual inventory of use cases, report metrics otherwise hidden from the public, and release government-owned AI code and data when safe to do so. Agencies must also inform the public about AI that is exempt from compliance with OMB policy.
Finally, the White House will take steps to grow the AI workforce, including hiring 100 AI professionals in government by the end of July. The latest government budget includes another $5 billion to expand a government-wide AI trading program.
The new requirements mean that federal agencies have completed the 150-day action in the Biden administration’s October 2023 AI executive order. The broader order outlines many other AI safety, security, and privacy requirements.
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