In an announcement that has prompted great discussion and discourse from artificial intelligence (AI) experts and policymakers, the Republican party recently released a new party platform that repeals President Biden’s AI executive order.
As this has come to life, AI experts are raising significant questions about the future of AI governance in the United States.
Key Takeaways
- Industry and Political Perspectives: Not everyone is against the repeal of the AI executive order. Critics of the executive order, including industry groups like NetChoice, which represents tech giants such as Google, Meta, and Amazon, argue that the current regulations are overly burdensome and limit creative expression.
- Concerns for AI Policy: Other AI experts have expressed strong concerns about the potential repeal of the executive order. Amba Kak, Co-Executive Director of the AI Now Institute, said Biden’s order is “one of the biggest achievements in the last decade in AI policy.”
- Broader Implications: While the executive order provided a foundation, experts like Ami Fields-Meyer, a former White House senior policy advisor on AI, said that the only way lasting stability in AI policy can be accomplished is through federal laws.
Chelsea Alves, a consultant with UNMiss, said “Revoking the AI Executive Order could potentially lead to a significant step backwards for responsible AI governance in the United States. This order, while not legally binding, laid the groundwork for ensuring that AI development is aligned with safety, privacy, and national security values.”
She continued, “Its repeal risks undermining these critical safeguards and highlights the U.S. as straying away from global efforts to establish ethical AI standards. Now is the time to outweigh pros vs. cons, prior to the election.”
The executive order, signed in October 2023, was largely seen as a pivotal step towards ensuring that AI development and deployment in the U.S. aligns with consumer safety, privacy, and national security. Now, if this order becomes obsolete after the 2024 election in November, as proposed in the Republican Party’s new platform, many are wondering how this will impact AI governance.
As the debate over AI regulation continues, the stakes are high. The decisions made today will shape the future of AI in the U.S., influencing not only technological innovation but also the protection of basic human rights.
Repealing the AI Executive Order could represent a significant setback in the ongoing battle for responsible and ethical AI development—a step that many experts believe the U.S. cannot afford to take.
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