OpenAI, Amazon and other AI companies commit to responsible development

SHANNON LONGWORTH: SEVEN OF THE TOP AI COMPANIES HAVE VOLUNTARILY VOWED TO DEVELOP THEIR TECHNOLOGY RESPONSIBLY.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM AMAZON, ANTHROPIC, GOOGLE, INFLECTION, META, MICROSOFT, AND OPENAI, MET AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON TO ANNOUNCE THEY’VE AGREED TO FOCUS ON “SAFETY, SECURITY, AND TRUST.”

HERE ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC TERMS THEY COMMITTED TO:

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SECURITY TESTING OF THEIR SYSTEMS BEFORE RELEASE.

SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGING THEIR AI RISKS WITH OTHER COMPANIES AND THE GOVERNMENT.

FACILITATING THIRD-PARTY REPORTS OF THEIR SYSTEMS’ VULNERABILITIES.

DEVELOPING MECHANISMS–LIKE A WATERMARK–TO MAKE SURE USERS KNOW WHEN CONTENT IS AI-GENERATED.

WE DON’T HAVE DETAILS YET—LIKE WHO WILL DO THE THIRD-PARTY WORK REQUIRED TO OVERSEE SOME OF THESE PROCESSES. ALSO, THIS IS A *VOLUNTARY* COMMITMENT, SO NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS IF THESE COMPANIES FALL SHORT OF THE TERMS.

HOWEVER, THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THESE COMPANIES VOLUNTARILY AGREED TO SAFEGUARDS IS A STEP AFTER MONTHS OF DEBATE OVER REGULATING AI WITH LEGISLATION. MUCH OF THE CONCERN HAS TO DO WITH THE POTENTIAL RISKS THAT COME WITH AI—INCLUDING BIAS, DISCRIMINATION AND JOB DISPLACEMENT.

JOE BIDEN: “WE’LL SEE MORE TECHNOLOGY CHANGE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, OR EVEN IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THAN WE’VE SEEN IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. THAT HAS BEEN AN ASTOUNDING REVELATION TO ME, QUITE FRANKLY. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS GOING TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. THE GROUP HERE WILL BE CRITICAL IN SHEPHERDING THAT INNOVATION WITH RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFETY BY DESIGN TO EARN THE TRUST OF AMERICANS.”

LONGWORTH: THIS IS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S LATEST MOVE ON AI. IN MAY, THE WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCED THAT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION WOULD PROVIDE $140 MILLION TO LAUNCH SEVEN NATIONAL AI RESEARCH INSTITUTES. THE WHITE HOUSE SAID, IN A PRESS RELEASE, THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ALSO WORKING ON AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO AI.

ON THE HILL, LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING THEIR APPROACH. LAST MONTH, SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER PROPOSED HIS PLAN, CALLED THE SAFE FRAMEWORK, WHICH LAYS OUT A PATH FOR CONGRESS TO COME TOGETHER ON AI POLICY.