Biden’s executive order addresses AI risks to consumers, workers and national security

In a bid to minimise potential risks associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI), US President Joe Biden has issued a new executive order. This order mandates developers of AI systems with potential risks to national security, economy, public health, or safety to share safety test results with the US government, aligning with the Defense Production Act, prior to public release.

Signed at the White House, the order also instructs agencies to establish testing standards and address associated chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks.

“To realise the promise of AI and avoid the risk, we need to govern this technology,” Biden said. “In the wrong hands AI can make it easier for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the software that makes our society run.”

This move represents the latest effort by the administration to establish boundaries around AI, given its rapid advancements and popularity in a regulatory landscape that, thus far, has been relatively limited. The order has elicited a varied response from industry and trade groups.