The US government has taken a first step toward regulating the AI sector, allowing the White House to put the brakes on new technologies such as ChatGPT.
The US Department of Commerce has invited industry players to make contributions to President Joe Biden’s administration to conceptualize AI systems.
This step indicates the White House’s openness to set some basic rules in this field, especially since Biden has stated that there is no final judgment as to whether artificial intelligence poses a threat to society.
“Just as food and vehicles are not distributed to markets without proper assurance of safety, artificial intelligence systems must provide assurances to the public, government and businesses that they are safe,” the Commerce Department said.
Although the US is home to the largest technology and AI companies, including the Microsoft-backed OpenEye company that created ChatGPT, it lags internationally in terms of regulating this field.
Strict Regulations
Biden has urged Congress to pass laws that put strict restrictions on big tech companies, however, political divisions among lawmakers leave slim chances for progress.
The lack of the necessary legislation in the United States gave Silicon Valley the freedom to launch new products such as artificial intelligence without checking their impact on society, and before the government could put in place the necessary laws.
At the end of last March, billionaire Elon Musk along with a group of CEOs and experts called for a temporary ban on the development of strong artificial intelligence.
OpenAI has requested that its AI systems be subjected to “rigorous safety assessments,” citing the need for comprehensive regulation.
“Our survey will result in policies that support AI risk and safety assessments and certifications as well as other tools that can help AI systems earn confidence,” said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
