The federal agencies have reported that the Biden-Harris administration has completed all of the 180-day actions in the Executive Order (E.O.) on schedule, following their recent successes, completing each 90-day, 120-day, and 150-day action on time. Agencies also progressed on other work tasked by the E.O. over longer timeframes. 

Some of the critical actions that agencies reported include Managing Risks to Safety and Security, Standing up for Workers, Consumers, and Civil Rights, Harnessing AI for Good, and Bringing AI Talent into Government. 

Six months ago, President Biden issued a landmark Executive Order to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of artificial intelligence (AI). Since then, agencies across the government have taken vital steps to execute these actions.

Key AI actions

Over 180 days, the Executive Order directed agencies to address a broad range of AI’s safety and security risks. To mitigate these and other threats to safety, they established a framework for nucleic acid synthesis screening to help prevent the misuse of AI for engineering dangerous biological materials.

 The administration released draft documents for public comment on managing generative AI risks, securely developing generative AI systems and dual-use foundation models, expanding international standards development in AI, and reducing the risks posed by AI-generated content. They also developed the first AI safety and security guidelines for critical infrastructure owners and operators and launched an AI Safety and Security Board.

The Executive Order directed bold steps to mitigate other risks from AI—including risks to workers, consumers, and Americans’ civil rights—and ensure that AI’s development and deployment benefit all Americans. 

According to the reports, agencies have developed bedrock principles and practices for employers and developers to build and deploy AI safely and in ways that empower workers, released guidance to assist federal contractors and employers in complying with worker protection laws as they deploy AI in the workplace, and issued guidance on AI’s nondiscriminatory use in the housing sector. They also developed a strategy for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of AI deployed in the healthcare sector.

President Biden’s Executive Order also directed work to seize AI’s enormous promise, including advancing AI’s use for scientific research, deepening collaboration with the private sector, and piloting AI use. 

Over the past 180 days, agencies have announced DOE funding opportunities to support the application of AI for science. They have prepared to convene for the next several months with utilities, clean energy developers, data centre owners and operators, and regulators in localities experiencing large load growth.

 The team also launched pilots, partnerships, and new AI tools to address energy challenges and advance clean energy and authored a report on AI’s role in advancing scientific research to help tackle major societal challenges, written by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Furthermore, the AI and Tech Talent Task Force has made substantial progress in hiring through the AI Talent Surge. Since President Biden signed the E.O., federal agencies have employed over 150 AI and AI-enabling professionals and, along with the tech talent programs, are on track to hire hundreds by Summer 2024.

 Individuals hired thus far are already working on critical AI missions, such as informing efforts to use AI for permitting, advising on AI investments across the federal government, and writing policies for using AI in government.

Click here to read the complete statement from the White House.