White House Releases Guidance on Federal Civilian AI Development

The Trump administration has issued an executive order directing federal civilian agencies to ensure that their artificial intelligence technologies are trustworthy. 

The executive order laid down nine principles for the design, development, use and acquisition of AI. The principles are based on ones already established by the defense and intelligence communities, FedScoop reported.

“Artificial intelligence can be an important tool to help modernize government and ensure federal agencies are effectively and efficiently delivering on their missions on behalf of the American people," said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios, a 2020 Wash100 winner. 

Kratsios said that the executive order will help improve public trust in AI, drive modernization in the government and demonstrate the United States' leadership in AI. 

The order's nine principles dictate that the government's AI should be lawful; accurate, reliable and effective; purposeful and performance-driven; accountable; transparent; regularly monitored; responsible and traceable; understandable; and safe, secure and resilient.

The White House also directed the Office of Management and Budget to develop a roadmap for policy guidance to promote federal adoption of AI. 

Meanwhile, the General Services Administration would create incentives within the Presidential Innovation Fellows program to encourage academia and industry to work with federal partners on AI development. 

President Donald Trump also required federal agencies to collaborate by developing and sharing their own inventory of AI use cases. 

“Agencies are encouraged to continue to use AI, when appropriate, to benefit the American people. The ongoing adoption and acceptance of AI will depend significantly on public trust," the executive order read.