Biden says AI has 'enormous promise' but also risks

TORONTO

Artificial intelligence has "enormous promise" but also risks as the emerging technology advances, US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday.

AI will change the way we teach, learn and solve challenges like diseases and climate change, but we need to manage its risks to our society, economy and national security, Biden said, speaking at a meeting on Artificial Intelligence with civil society leaders in the state of California.

The president noted that his administration proposed an AI Bill of Rights last October to ensure that important protections were built into AI systems from the very start.

Earlier this year, Biden signed an executive order to direct federal agencies to root out bias in artificial technologies used by the federal government and combat algorithmic discrimination.

In May, the White House announced more funding and policy guidance for developing responsible artificial intelligence. The Biden administration also called in May for public input as it works to develop a national strategy governing AI.

Social media has already shown the harm the powerful technology can cause without the right safeguards in place, and "that's why I said at the State of the Union (address) that Congress needs to pass bipartisan privacy legislation to impose strict limits on personal data collection, ban targeted advertising to our children and require companies to put health and safety first," Biden said.

As the use of artificial intelligence expands throughout the private sector and government, the Biden administration last year published a report titled “A Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.”

The report identifies various issues with AI systems such as biased hiring and credit decisions, unsafe patient care, and privacy concerns. However, it also highlights the potential of AI to revolutionize industries and benefit society as a whole.