Biden Highlights Big Tech’s Pledge to Create Secure AI Tools Amid Concerns of a Tech-Driven Apocalypse

President Biden is promoting new commitments from Big Tech companies to ensure the safety of artificial intelligence (AI) tools amid concerns about potential negative effects of this emerging technology.

The White House is encouraging these voluntary pledges as part of its efforts to address AI risks, while federal officials consider potential regulations and Congress debates proposed laws regarding AI.

President Biden will meet with representatives from seven tech companies that develop AI products: Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI.

The companies will showcase their commitments to developing AI in a safe, secure, and transparent manner, including testing products before release, providing tools to help users understand AI-generated content, and investing in cybersecurity and insider threat safeguards.

These commitments aim to address risks such as biosecurity, cybersecurity, and broader societal impacts of AI, which were highlighted by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during his testimony to a Senate Judiciary Committee panel.

OpenAI is also assembling a team to prevent potential AI dangers. Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, has also expressed concerns about AI and launched a new startup, xAI, to address these concerns.

The new commitments by AI makers also include provisions to prevent the misuse of AI tools.

The companies pledge to invest in cybersecurity and insider threat safeguards to protect their proprietary and unreleased model weights.

These commitments come after Google expressed concerns about the vulnerability of its work to China during a closed-door meeting with lawmakers.

Concerns about foreign adversaries using AI tools to influence American politics are also on the rise. Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, President Biden’s nominee to run the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, expressed concerns about foreign nations using generative AI to interfere in the upcoming 2024 election cycle.

The new commitments by AI makers aim to mitigate potential manipulation of AI-generated content by developing technical mechanisms, such as watermarking systems, to ensure users are aware of AI-generated content.

Overall, these commitments from Big Tech companies reflect their recognition of the need to address AI risks and ensure the safe development and deployment of AI technologies.