AI News: Sam Altman To Serve In Government’s AI Safety Board

In what appears to be a plot twist, CEOs of top Artificial Intelligence (AI)-centered companies have been invited to sit on the Federal government AI safety board.

Tech CEOs To Advise In AI Safety Board

After assembling an advisory board that would checkmate the activities of the evolving AI ecosystem, the United States government invited OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang to join the Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board. 

Upon acceptance, the group is required to work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Their responsibility includes ensuring the secure use of AI and its numerous tools. These top tech leaders are to provide guidance on how to use AI within critical infrastructure in the U.S. Therefore, they would be expected to constantly provide the Department of Homeland Security with recommendations for power-grid operators, transportation and manufacturing sectors, all of which are targeted at protecting the nation and its citizens from AI-driven attacks.

Other people in the group are Northrop Grumman’s Kathy Warden and Delta’s Ed Bastian, Governor of Maryland and Mayor of Seattle. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, will serve as the Chair for the AI bloc. Their first meeting is scheduled to be held in May after which they will meet quarterly afterward.  

Having Altman, Nadella and other executives of AI firms sit on this board may make it easier for the government to revolutionize the AI ecosystem as it planned.

US Government to Enforce AI Regulation

It is worth noting that the creation of this AI Advisory group is a move spurred by the executive order that President Joe Biden signed in October 2023. The document detailed established standards for AI safety, security, and ethical usage within governmental spheres. Under the executive order, developers of top-tier AI systems are mandated to disclose safety test results and crucial data to the government. 

A significant percentage of people would agree that the advent of AI technology has its upside across several industries such as healthcare and finance. However, it is not without its risks and shortcomings. 

There has been quite a number of Al tool misuse recently involving celebrities and several high-profile individuals. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and American pop star Taylor Swift were embarrassed on the internet at different times through the use of AI tools. Some explicit photos of the musician were seen circulating the internet for a while.

In Garlinghouse’s case, his cloned version promised XRP holders a non-existent giveaway and a scheme that would double their assets if sent to the disguised hacker(s). These events underscore the need for robust regulation for AI technology.