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Ethics 1st AI Score echoes Biden's Executive Order for Trustworthy AI

Harmonizing Values: How the Ethics 1st AI Score Echoes Biden’s Executive Order for Trustworthy AI

Image Credit: US Vice President Kamala Harris applauds as US President Joe Biden signs an executive order after delivering remarks on advancing the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 30, 2023.
Source: Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images| CNBC

The executive order on the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) issued by the White House on October 30, 2023, outlines a comprehensive approach to ensure that AI technologies are developed and used in a manner that respects privacy, civil rights, and American values. Here is a detailed summary of the key points:

  1. Purpose and Principles:

    • The order emphasizes the importance of AI in enhancing the welfare of the American people, economic prosperity, and the nation’s values. It establishes principles to guide AI development and use, including lawfulness, purposefulness and inclusiveness, fairness and non-discrimination, transparency and explainability, safety and security, and interagency coordination.

  2. Policy and Implementation:

    • The policy focuses on fostering public trust in AI through responsible and democratic values. It mandates federal agencies to lead by example in AI adoption, ensuring that AI systems are safe, secure, and operate as intended. Agencies are directed to prioritize AI applications that benefit the public and address societal challenges.

  3. Federal Investment in AI:

    • The order calls for increased federal investment in AI research and development, particularly in areas that promise significant benefits for the public good and competitiveness. It also encourages investment in the AI workforce and education to maintain American leadership in AI innovation.

  4. Technical Standards and Risk Management:

    • The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is tasked with creating technical standards for reliable, robust, and trustworthy AI. Agencies must also identify and mitigate risks associated with AI, including those related to privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.

  5. International Engagement:

    • The order promotes international cooperation on AI, aiming to align democratic values with AI governance globally. It encourages participation in international bodies and alliances to foster innovation-friendly environments that respect human rights.

  6. Action Plan and Roadmap:

    • Agencies are required to develop an action plan for implementing the principles within 180 days of the order. They must also create a roadmap for AI research and development priorities.

  7. Annual Review:

    • The order establishes an annual review process to assess progress on AI development and deployment across federal agencies, ensuring alignment with the principles and policies set forth.

  8. Coordination and Oversight:

    • The National AI Initiative Office is responsible for coordinating activities across the federal government to implement the order. The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) will oversee the strategic direction of federal AI activities.

  9. Public Participation:

    • The order encourages agencies to engage with the public, academia, industry, and other stakeholders to inform the development of AI policies and programs.

  10. Regulatory Approach:

    • The order outlines a regulatory approach that is risk-based and proportionate to the potential impacts of AI technologies. It calls for regulations that promote innovation while protecting public welfare.

  11. AI in Government Decision-Making:

    • The order directs agencies to responsibly incorporate AI into government decision-making processes, ensuring that AI systems are subject to appropriate human review.

  12. Protection of American Technology:

    • Measures are to be taken to protect American AI technologies from theft and exploitation by foreign adversaries.

  13. Reporting and Transparency:

    • Agencies must report on their progress in implementing the principles and policies of the order, fostering transparency and accountability.

This executive order represents a significant step in the U.S. government’s approach to AI, aiming to harness its potential while safeguarding democratic values and public trust.

Disclaimer: Generative AI tools were used to summarize this executive order.

Ethics 1st AI Score by DataEthics4All Foundation. A Score on a Company's Ethical Data+AI Practices by their Employees and Customers.

How the Ethics 1st Al Score echoes Mr. President’s Executive Order for Trustworthy Al

Let’s look at the parallels between President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence and DataEthics4All Foundation’s Ethics 1st AI Score.

  1. Commitment to Ethical Practices:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: Encourages companies to measure and demonstrate their commitment to ethical data and AI practices.

    • Executive Order: Emphasizes the importance of ethical guidelines and standards for AI to ensure that development is aligned with societal values, including privacy, civil rights, and democratic principles.

  2. Transparency and Accountability:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: Aims to create a more transparent and accountable data and AI world by involving employees and customers in the assessment process.

    • Executive Order: Includes provisions for increased transparency in AI systems and accountability for AI developers and users, especially when it comes to AI deployed in the public sector or with potential large-scale impact.

  3. Trust by Employees and Customers:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: Trust is a key component, with the score being partially derived from the trust that employees and customers have in a company’s AI practices.

    • Executive Order: Trust in AI is crucial for public adoption and support. The order seeks to foster public trust through rigorous standards for safety and security in AI development and deployment.

  4. Data Governance, Privacy, and Security:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: Includes these aspects as part of the company’s AI practices that need to be assessed.

    • Executive Order: Data governance, privacy, and security are central to responsible AI, and the executive order addresses these issues to protect against misuse of AI and data breaches.

  5. Fairness and Bias:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: Encourages companies to be evaluated on fairness and bias in their AI systems.

    • Executive Order: Includes directives to mitigate bias and ensure fairness in AI applications, which is essential for equitable outcomes and civil rights protections.

  6. Stakeholder Engagement:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: Seeks input from stakeholders like employees and customers to assess AI practices.

    • Executive Order: Calls for multi-stakeholder processes to inform AI governance, ensuring that a diverse range of perspectives are considered in policy-making.

  7. Building an Ethical AI Ecosystem:

    • Ethics 1st AI Score: The ultimate goal is to contribute to building an ethical data and AI ecosystem.

    • Executive Order: Aims to establish a foundation for an AI ecosystem that is aligned with American values and interests, promoting responsible AI development and use.

In summary, both the Ethics 1st AI Score and President Biden’s Executive Order share common goals of ensuring that AI is developed and used in ways that are ethical, responsible, transparent, and trustworthy. They both recognize the importance of stakeholder trust and the need for a standardized approach to evaluating and communicating the ethical use of AI technologies.

Learn more about the Ethics 1st AI Score and how you can help Build an Ethics 1st Data + AI World!