The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies presents unique challenges and risks to the American public, ranging from privacy concerns to the potential for biased decision-making. To address these risks and guide the responsible development and deployment of AI, the Biden Administration has announced a series of Planned Actions ahead of a meeting between Vice President Kamala Harris and leaders from America’s four leading AI tech companies.

Among these planned actions is an allocation of $140 million to establish seven new AI research and development (R&D) centers as part of the National Science Foundation. The new centers will foster collaboration across academia, the private sector, and government to develop ethical and trustworthy AI systems in fields such as climate, agriculture, energy, public health, education, and cybersecurity.

The Administration has also received commitments from leading AI companies, including Anthropic, Google, Hugging Face, Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and Stability AI, to have their AI systems publicly evaluated at DEFCON 31, a prominent hacking conference. Thousands of attendees at DEFCON 31 will be able to assess the AI models and determine if they align with the Biden Administration’s stated principles and practices of the AI Bill of Rights “blueprint.”

Moreover, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been tasked to draft policy guidance for federal employees to use AI in their official work. The OMB will also establish specific policies for agencies to follow and will seek public feedback before finalizing those policies.

The Biden Administration unveiled the AI Bill of Rights “blueprint” last October, which sought to guide the design, development, and deployment of AI and other automated systems to protect the rights of the American public. With the new planned actions and the AI Bill of Rights “blueprint,” the Administration has provided clear ways for companies, policymakers, and individuals building these technologies to mitigate the risks to consumers.

The administration official noted that the federal government already has the authority to protect the citizenry and hold companies accountable. Still, the planned actions aim to guide responsible innovation and ensure that AI improves people’s lives without putting their rights and safety at risk.

The Vice President is set to have a “frank discussion about the risks we see in current and near-term AI development” with tech leaders at the White House. The Administration hopes to underscore the importance of the private sector’s role in mitigating risks and advancing responsible innovation, and discuss how they can work together to protect the American people from the potential harms of AI so that they can benefit from these new technologies.