Feb 2 -- The Office of Science and Technology Policy -- on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence (Select Committee), the NSTC Machine Learning and AI Subcommittee (MLAI-SC), the National AI Initiative Office (NAIIO), and the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) -- requests input from all interested parties on updating the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan. Through this Request for Information (RFI), OSTP, the Select Committee, NAIIO, and NITRD NCO seek input from the public, including academic, State, and industry groups; those directly performing Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and development (R&D); and those directly affected by such R&D, on the ways in which the strategic plan should be revised and improved. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 11:59 p.m. (ET) on March 4, 2022.
In 2019, the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan: 2019 Update was released by NSTC's Select Committee on AI to guide government efforts in AI R&D. On January 01, 2021, the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2021 5103(d)(2) became law. The National AI Initiative Act calls for regular updates to the National AI R&D Strategic Plan to include “goals, priorities, and metrics for guiding and evaluating how the agencies carrying out the National AI Initiative will:
(A) Determine and prioritize areas of artificial intelligence research, development, and demonstration requiring Federal Government leadership and investment;
(B) support long-term funding for interdisciplinary artificial intelligence research, development, demonstration, and education;
(C) support research and other activities on ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, bias, and other appropriate societal issues related to artificial intelligence;
(D) provide or facilitate the availability of curated, standardized, secure, representative, aggregate, and privacy-protected data sets for artificial intelligence research and development;
(E) provide or facilitate the necessary computing, networking, and data facilities for artificial intelligence research and development;
(F) support and coordinate Federal education and workforce training activities related to artificial intelligence; and
(G) support and coordinate the network of artificial intelligence research institutes.”
The OSTP, the Select Committee, MLAI-SC, NAIIO, and NITRD NCO seek input on potential revisions to the strategic plan to reflect updated priorities related to AI R&D. Responses could include suggestions as to the addition, removal, or modification of strategic aims, including suggestions to address OSTP's priorities of ensuring the United States leads the world in technologies that are critical to our economic prosperity and national security, and to maintaining the core values behind America's scientific leadership, including openness, transparency, honesty, equity, fair competition, objectivity, and democratic values. Responses could include suggestions of AI R&D focus areas that could create solutions to address societal issues such as equity, climate change, healthcare, and job opportunities, especially in communities that have been traditionally underserved.
Comments for the strategic plan are welcomed regarding how AI R&D can help address harms due to disparate treatment of different demographic groups; research that informs the intersection of AI R&D and application with privacy and civil liberties; AI R&D to help address the underrepresentation of certain demographic groups in the AI workforce; and AI R&D to evaluate and address bias, equity, or other concerns related to the development, use, and impact of AI. Responses could also include comments on strategic directions related to international cooperation on AI R&D and on providing inclusive pathways for more Americans to participate in AI R&D. Additionally, comments are invited as to existing strategic aims, along with their past or future implementation by the Federal government.
Following the receipt of comments, OSTP, the Select Committee, and NAIIO, in consultation with the NSTC Subcommittee on Machine Learning and AI and the NITRD AI R&D Interagency Working Group, will consider the input provided in updating the strategic plan.
FR notice:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/02/2022-02161/request-for-information-to-the-update-of-the-national-artificial-intelligence-research-and
OSTP blog: OSTP’s Continuing Work on AI Technology and Uses that Can Benefit Us All (2/3)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2022/02/03/ostps-continuing-work-on-ai-technology-and-uses-that-can-benefit-us-all/