State Department wants to use generative AI off-network for now
Generative AI is being greeted with general enthusiasm at the State Department, but the sentiment isn’t universal, said Deputy CIO Laura Williams.
“I’m really excited about this from a knowledge management perspective,” she said. “Imagine if you could put it on top of our diplomatic coverage pile.”
AI could predict the next foreign conflict or economic crisis and provide data that authorities can use to respond, Williams added.
Williams said he doesn’t believe the State Department will launch generative AI in its networks until AI policy is firmly in place. But the technology will improve the customer experience by using public data to answer questions from people around the world about how to get a visa, or from citizens trying to report the birth of a child abroad. It’s possible, she said.
Dig deeper: A “blueprint” for the Federal AI Bill of Rights.
How government agencies can create responsible AI policies
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has spearheaded the discussion on responsible AI, and many of its guiding principles have been adopted by institutions and incorporated into the blueprint for the Biden administration’s AI Bill of Rights.
Williams spent a year launching the State Department’s Office of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, which will launch in April 2022, to see AI work for the people, grow the economy, and make AI a “monstrous” non-human. He said he had deep-rooted concerns about keeping it from being used for democratic purposes. as a surveillance.
Until the department addresses these policy details, it is unlikely that generative AI will be allowed within the department’s network.
“Industry and government need to come together to discuss ‘what is AI,'” Williams said. “How do we apply these fair use principles and ensure that we don’t build bias into our methodology?”
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