Joe Biden commits to controlling the risks of artificial intelligence drift

Joe Biden wants to tame AI. On Monday, October 30, Washington unveiled rules and principles intended to ensure that America “show the way” in the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), while Western legislators struggle to regulate this controversial technology. In this sense, the American president signed a decree which notably requires companies in the sector to transmit to the federal government the results of their security tests, when their projects pose a problem. “a serious risk in terms of national security, national economic security, or public health”.

The criteria for these safety tests will be set at the federal level and made public. “To realize the promises of AI and avoid the risks, we must govern this technology. There is no other solution (…): it must be regulated”, declared the head of state before signing the decree at the White House. In addition to the new security assessments, the text provides guidance on equity (to avoid discriminatory bias), launches research into the impact of AI on the labor market and recommends the development of tools to identify easily content produced with AI.

The White House may tout the ambition of the decree, but in reality Joe Biden only has limited room for maneuver. Any truly binding and ambitious legislation on AI should pass through the US Congress. However, the latter is currently divided between Democrats and Republicans, which makes the adoption of a large-scale law very unlikely.