DHS Issues Guideline on Proper Use of Commercial Generative AI Solutions

The Department of Homeland Security has released a document guiding its workforce on the proper use of commercial generative artificial intelligence solutions while it experiments with models that fit the agency’s needs.

In an interview with FedScoop’s Daily Scoop Podcast, DHS Chief Information Officer Eric Hysen said the memo is based on the Biden-Harris AI executive order, ensuring the department has a comprehensive document to address issues specific to every AI technology used across the agency.

DHS posted the memo, dated Oct. 24, on its website on Thursday. The document details how the agency will “develop and maintain a list of conditionally approved commercial generative AI tools for use on open-source information only,” FedScoop reported.

On experimentations on possible ways AI will help with the department’s mission, Hysen said that DHS is looking at a portfolio of AI projects using different models from companies and is technically learning about what each solution offers.

To ensure the agency remains responsible for the use and development of AI, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a past Wash100 winner, named Hysen as the department’s first AI officer in September, coinciding with the release of an AI acquisition guidance.