US President, Joe Biden meets with Microsoft and Google CEOs

US President, Joe Biden meets with Microsoft and Google CEOs

US President, Joe Biden meets with Microsoft and Google CEOs. Recently, there has been a significant rise in interest surrounding generative AI, fueled by the widespread popularity of applications like ChatGPT that have captivated the public. This surge in attention has triggered a competitive frenzy among companies, each striving to launch comparable products with the potential to transform our approach to work.

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, and Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, visited the White House for a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris. The focal point of their discussion centered around the subject of artificial intelligence.

President Joe Biden convened a meeting on Thursday with CEOs of leading artificial intelligence companies, including Microsoft and Google. The primary objective of the meeting was to underscore the importance of ensuring the safety of AI products prior to their deployment.

This year has witnessed a surge in the popularity of generative artificial intelligence, with applications such as ChatGPT capturing the attention of the general public. This has generated significant interest among companies eager to introduce similar products that they believe will revolutionize our work practices.

Multiple users are currently testing advanced tools that have the ability to diagnose medical conditions, generate screenplays, draft legal briefs, and debug software. However, concerns have been raised about the widespread use of this technology, particularly regarding potential privacy breaches, biased employment decisions, scams, and the dissemination of false information.

According to the White House, President Biden himself has utilized ChatGPT and conducted experiments with it. During a two-hour meeting held on Thursday at 11:45 a.m. Eastern Time (1545 GMT), President Biden urged officials to address the existing and potential risks associated with AI, focusing on their impact on individuals, society, and national security. Attendees at the meeting included Sundar Pichai from Google, Satya Nadella from Microsoft Corp, Sam Altman from OpenAI, Dario Amodei from Anthropic, Vice President Kamala Harris, and several administration officials such as Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of the National Economic Council Lael Brainard, and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

While many users are currently testing these tools, which are being promoted for their ability to diagnose medical conditions, create screenplays, draft legal documents, and debug software, concerns have arisen regarding potential privacy breaches, biased employment judgments, and the facilitation of fraudulent activities and the dissemination of false information.

Vice President Harris acknowledged the potential benefits of technology in improving people’s lives but also expressed concerns about safety, privacy, and civil rights. She emphasized the legal obligation of CEOs to ensure the safety of their AI products and stated that the administration is open to advancing new regulations and endorsing legislation on artificial intelligence.

Following the meeting, Sam Altman informed reporters that the companies surprisingly reached an agreement on the necessary regulatory actions.

The administration announced a $140 million investment from the National Science Foundation to establish seven new AI research institutes. Additionally, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget will publish policy guidance on the use of AI by the federal government. Prominent AI developers, including Anthropic, Google, Hugging Face, NVIDIA Corp, OpenAI, and Stability AI, will participate in a public evaluation of their AI systems.

After President Biden announced his candidacy for reelection, the Republican National Committee released a video that depicted a dystopian future under a potential second Biden term, entirely generated using AI imagery. It is expected that such political ads will become more common as AI technology expands.

In contrast to European governments, US regulators have taken a less stringent approach to tech regulation and have not developed robust policies on deep fakes and misinformation.

A senior administration official stated, “We do not see this as a competition,” and mentioned the close collaboration between the administration and the U.S.-EU Trade & Technology Council on this issue.

In February, President Biden issued an executive order directing federal agencies to eliminate bias in their use of AI. The Biden administration also introduced an AI Bill of Rights and a risk management framework.

Recently, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission announced their intent to leverage their legal powers to address issues related to AI.