Commerce Department Establishes High-Level AI Advisory Committee for Federal Government

The Department of Commerce has created a high-level committee tasked with advising the president and federal agencies on matters related to artificial intelligence.

The government is currently recruiting candidates for the new National AI Advisory Committee, which will work with the National AI Initiative Office within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Department of Commerce said Wednesday.

NAIAC includes a Subcommittee on AI and Law Enforcement whose nominations will be considered on an ongoing basis as vacancies arise, the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology said in an entry in the Federal Register.

NAIAC is open to experts in AI-relevant fields across academia, industry, the nonprofit sector, civil society and federal laboratories.

The department launched the committee in accordance with the National AI Initiative Act of 2020 and in consultation with the OSTP director and other department officials.

NAIAC will offer recommendations on the current state of U.S. AI competitiveness, the state of science around AI, issues related to the AI workforce and how the technology can enhance opportunities for diverse geographic regions, among other topics.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said AI provides the United States an opportunity to improve its technological competitiveness and spur growth in all sectors of the economy.

“But we must be thoughtful, creative, and wise in how we address the challenges that accompany these new technologies,” Raimondo said in a statement.

She said one way to deal with the challenges is to ensure that the government’s commitment to equity and racial justice is extended to the development of AI.