As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, the White House announced on Friday a decisive move towards safety, security, and trust. Several leading tech giants, including OpenAI, Amazon, Google, and others have pledged to make their technology safer, instituting features such as watermarks on AI-generated images. This immediate commitment marks a crucial stride in the journey towards responsible AI.
Later today, representatives from influential companies such as Anthropic, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI will join US President Joe Biden in announcing these commitments. The proposed safeguards include the development of “robust technical mechanisms,” such as watermarking systems, to ensure users can recognize AI-generated content, according to White House officials.
The urgency for such safety features has surged as the 2024 US Presidential Election approaches, with fears mounting that AI-created imagery or audio could be exploited for fraudulent activities or spreading misinformation. The tech industry is actively pursuing ways to identify AI-generated audio or visuals to prevent consumers from falling prey to convincingly real fakes.
White House officials said, “They’re committing to setting up a broader regime towards making it easier for consumers to know whether content is AI-generated or not.” Adding that “there is technical work to be done,” and the focus isn’t only on visual and audio content, but it forms part of a more extensive system.
Furthermore, the tech companies have agreed to independent testing of AI systems for potential risks in biosecurity, cybersecurity, and societal effects.
James Steyer, Chief Executive of Common Sense Media, praised the White House for its commitment to regulating AI technology but cautioned about the historical lack of follow-through on voluntary pledges made by tech companies.
Simultaneously, President Biden is preparing an executive order to ensure AI is safe and trustworthy, a sentiment echoed in recent discussions between EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on watermarking AI-generated content.
In conclusion, the White House has promised to work with allies on an international framework for the governance of AI development and usage. This news is based on an article from Malay Mail.
