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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 5 OctOber 2022
White House unveils artificial intelligence ‘Bill of Rights’

By GARANCE BURKE principles cite academic
Associated Press research, agency stud-
The Biden administration ies and news reports that
unveiled a set of far-reach- have documented real-
ing goals Tuesday aimed world harms from AI-pow-
at averting harms caused ered tools, including facial
by the rise of artificial in- recognition tools that con-
telligence systems, includ- tributed to wrongful arrests
ing guidelines for how to and an automated system
protect people’s personal that discriminated against
data and limit surveillance. loan seekers who attended
The Blueprint for an AI Bill a Historically Black College
of Rights notably does not or University.
set out specific enforce- The white paper also said
ment actions, but instead is parents and social work-
intended as a White House ers alike could benefit from
call to action for the U.S. knowing if child welfare
government to safeguard agencies were using algo-
digital and civil rights in an rithms to help decide when
AI-fueled world, officials families should be investi-
said. gated for maltreatment.
“This is the Biden-Harris ad- Earlier this year after the
ministration really saying publication of an AP review
that we need to work to- of an algorithmic tool used
gether, not only just across in a Pennsylvania child Alondra Nelson speaks during an event at The Queen theater, Jan. 16, 2021, in Wilmington, Del.
Associated Press
government, but across all welfare system, OSTP staff-
sectors, to really put eq- ers reached out to sources
uity at the center and civil quoted in the article to
rights at the center of the learn more, according to
ways that we make and multiple people who par-
use and govern technolo- ticipated in the call.
gies,” said Alondra Nelson, AP’s investigation found
deputy director for science that the Allegheny County
and society at the White tool in its first years of oper-
House Office of Science ation showed a pattern of
and Technology Policy. flagging a disproportionate
“We can and should ex- number of Black children
pect better and demand for a “mandatory” neglect
better from our technolo- investigation, when com-
gies.” pared with white children.
The office said the white In May, sources said Carn-
paper represents a major egie Mellon University re-
advance in the adminis- searchers and staffers from
tration’s agenda to hold the American Civil Liberties
technology companies ac- Union spoke with OSTP of-
countable, and highlighted ficials about child welfare
various federal agencies’ agencies’ use of algo-
commitments to weighing rithms. Nelson said protect-
new rules and studying the ing children from technol-
specific impacts of AI tech- ogy harms remains an area
nologies. of concern.
The document emerged OSTP did not provide addi-
after a year-long consul- tional comment about the
tation with more than two May meeting.
dozen different depart- Still, because many AI-
ments, and also incorpo- powered tools are devel-
rates feedback from civil oped, adopted or funded
society groups, technolo- at the state and local level,
gists, industry researchers the federal government
and tech companies in- has limited oversight re-
cluding Palantir and Micro- garding their use.
soft. The white paper makes no
It suggests five core prin- specific mention of how the
ciples that the White House Biden administration could
says should be built into AI influence specific policies
systems to limit the impacts at state or local levels, but
of algorithmic bias, give us- a senior administration offi-
ers control over their data cial said the administration
and ensure that automat- was exploring how to align
ed systems are used safely federal grants with AI guid-
and transparently. ance. q
The resulting non-binding