IBM has officially launched Policy Lab, a forum for developing AI policies and recommendations. The forum was initially introduced in November 2019 with an aim to provide “policymakers with a vision and actionable advice to harness the benefits of innovation while ensuring trust in a world being reshaped by data.

According to IBM, the Policy Lab aims to work with government and other organisations collaboratively on public policies to meet the challenges of tomorrow. A significant part of the new initiatives is IBM’s new advocacy for AI regulations. In a statement, the company claims that they have long argued that AI systems need to be transparent and explainable, and states that there is a need to “commit to transparency and responsible disclosure” in the use of AI systems.

IBM calls its model for AI regulation ‘Precision Regulation of AI’, which are targeted policies that would increase the responsibilities for companies to develop and operate trustworthy AI. IBM claims that its AI governance policy framework is based on three pillars of accountability, transparency, and fairness. 

IBM Policy Labs will be lead by Ryan Hagemann and Jean-Marc Leclerc, and advocates for the appointment of AI ethics officials to guarantee compliance with providers’ and owners’ expectations.