US Seeks to Enforce Stricter Safety Testing of AI Tools

The US government has unveiled plans to implement more rigorous safety measures for testing artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT before they’re released for public access.

Reportedly, the White House still needs to decide the extent and manner of government involvement, if any. However, addressing risks and consumer concerns seems to be a key motivator of this decision.

On Tuesday, the Commerce Department disclosed its intention to allocate the next 60 days to analyze the possibility of AI risk assessments, audits and other procedures to alleviate consumers’ concerns about novel AI systems.

For now, the department is exploring various alternatives while soliciting feedback from experts and stakeholders to decide on the best approach. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is now trying to discover the best policies to increase the accountability of commercial AI tools.

The push for improved security precautions stems from increasing worries about potential misappropriation of AI tools and possible unexpected outcomes of their deployment.

AI technologies such as ChatGPT, capable of generating text similar to human language based on input data, could be used to spread false information or create persuasive phishing schemes.

Besides that, threat actors have already identified multiple kinks in their armor and are exploiting them for malicious purposes. Incidents involving AI-created security breaches, harmful software, and other malevolent elements have recently increased.

The Commerce Department's efforts to gather opinions on AI safety testing methods may lead to substantial changes in the way AI tools are created and released, including the establishment of new regulations or the adoption of voluntary industry standards. This is not an isolated instance of the White House tackling cybersecurity concerns, as evidenced by their latest executive order restricting commercial spyware.

However, as the AI field continues to progress, focusing on safety and consumer concerns will be a crucial factor in shaping the future of AI technology worldwide.