U.S. National Security Memorandum on Artificial Intelligence: Framework for Safeguards and Strategic Edge

U.S. National Security Memorandum on Artificial Intelligence: Framework for Safeguards and Strategic Edge

Sub : Sci

Sec: Awareness in AI

Why in News

The United States has unveiled a National Security Memorandum (NSM) addressing national security risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative follows President Joe Biden’s executive order on AI regulation, highlighting the urgency of managing technological advancements while safeguarding public trust.

Main Aspects of the Memorandum:

• The NSM emphasizes the need for the U.S. to maintain its technological edge over adversaries like China, particularly in military and intelligence contexts​.
• It calls for collaboration with the private sector to enhance security measures and ensure that AI development aligns with national interests​.
• The memorandum urges the development of international agreements to ensure AI systems are safe and trustworthy​.
• Agencies are directed to prioritize AI in government supercomputers and emerging technology systems​.
• It outlines steps to enhance the cybersecurity of AI systems, highlighting the importance of counterintelligence against espionage targeting the U.S. AI industry​.
• The NSM reaffirms support for the National AI Research Resource program, facilitating access to essential resources for AI research​.

Other Recent Global Efforts to Regulate AI:

The world’s inaugural AI Safety Summit, hosted at Bletchley Park in the UK, saw 28 major nations, including the US, China, Japan, the UK, France, India, and the European Union, unite in signing a declaration emphasizing the necessity for global action to address the potential perils of AI.

The declaration underscores the recognition of significant risks stemming from potential deliberate misuse and unintended control challenges in advanced AI, particularly in domains such as cybersecurity, biotechnology, and the spread of disinformation.

In response to these concerns, the US President issued an executive order aiming to fortify defences against AI-related threats and exercise regulatory oversight over safety standards applied by companies in the assessment of generative AI systems like ChatGPT and Google Bard.

During the G20 Leaders’ Summit held in New Delhi, the Indian Prime Minister advocated for the creation of a global framework governing the development of “ethical” AI tools.

This shift in New Delhi’s stance signifies a transition from a position of non-interference in AI regulation to a proactive approach, involving the formulation of regulations grounded in a “risk-based, user-harm” perspective.