December 13, 2023
The U.S. government is preparing to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) at scale and plans to expand its reliance on this innovative technology. However, a recent federal oversight report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights significant gaps in policy surrounding the responsible acquisition and use of AI from the private sector.
- The state of AI in the U.S. government
- The urgency of AI guidelines and oversight
- Biden’s AI Executive Order: A step toward accountability
- The Meaning of Secrecy: Uncovering Hidden AI Applications
- Public-private collaboration: The key to successful AI integration
- AI and National Security: Mitigating Emerging Threats
The 96-page GAO report released Tuesday is a groundbreaking effort that catalogs the widespread use of AI across about two dozen non-military government agencies. It reveals that the federal government is already employing AI in more than 200 different ways, with more than 500 applications planned. Remarkably, nearly half of these applications were implemented within the past year, reflecting the rapid integration of AI technology across government.
The vast majority (7 in 10) of current and planned government uses of AI are scientific-related or designed to strengthen the internal controls of government agencies. For example, NASA uses AI to monitor volcanic activity around the world, and the Department of Commerce uses AI to track wildfires and automatically count the number of seabirds and marine mammals in drone photos. Closer to home, the Department of Homeland Security is leveraging AI to identify border activity of interest through machine learning technology.
GAO's report sheds light on the large-scale, non-public use of AI by federal agencies, with more than 350 applications considered sensitive. Of note is the State Department…
