Harris to stress the need for swift action on the democracy and privacy risks posed by AI.

The U.S. vice-president will emphasize the importance of tackling immediate technology challenges on a level comparable to existential issues ahead of the UK summit.

Leading up to the UK’s Bletchley Park AI summit, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to underscore the imperative of promptly addressing immediate AI threats to democracy and privacy with the same urgency as longer-term existential challenges. In her forthcoming speech in London, she will affirm, “We must reject the false dilemma that suggests we have to choose between safeguarding the public and promoting innovation. We can, and must, accomplish both goals swiftly, given the rapid advancements in this technology.

Harris aims to shift the discourse beyond speculative debates about AI’s potential existential threats in the future and concentrate on addressing current harms, including those associated with discrimination and disinformation.

She will emphasize that while existential threats are undoubtedly profound and require global action, they are not the only concerns. There are additional threats currently causing harm that, to many people, also appear existential.

Harris is particularly focused on combating AI-generated voice calls intended to defraud vulnerable individuals. Additionally, she is advocating for measures to authenticate government-produced digital content and AI-generated or manipulated content through methods such as digital signatures, watermarking, and other labeling techniques.

In the domain of AI development, testing, and utilization, she will present a set of criteria, including inquiries about whose biases are ingrained in the code, whose interests are being prioritized, who gains from swift adoption, who bears the consequences of the harms, who is most susceptible to adverse outcomes, and who has been involved in the decision-making process.

Furthermore, she will reveal that 30 countries have agreed to support a political declaration sponsored by the U.S. concerning the utilization of AI by national militaries. The majority of signatories lean towards the Western bloc, suggesting a potential development of a new division in AI reminiscent of a Cold War scenario. She warns against the possibility of “AI-enabled cyber-attacks on an unprecedented scale and the potential for AI-generated bioweapons endangering millions of lives.

The goals of the political declaration, initially outlined in February, involve states committing to uphold “robust and transparent standards applicable to all military sectors, irrespective of a system’s capabilities or potential impact.” States would also commit to ongoing dialogues regarding the responsible development, deployment, and utilization of military AI capabilities and engage with the global community to promote these principles.

Confidently, she pledges that the political declaration she intends to implement will safeguard the right to self-defense and the ability of countries to judiciously progress and employ AI in military contexts.

Her two-day visit to the UK offers a personal opportunity to demonstrate American leadership in an area that adds a new dimension to her role as vice-president, which has often been criticized.

She has announced the establishment of the United States AI Safety Institute (US AISI) by the US Department of Commerce. The institute will develop “guidelines, tools, benchmarks, and best practices for assessing and mitigating potentially harmful capabilities, as well as conducting assessments to identify and address AI-related risks.

The institute will produce technical guidance on topics like verifying content created by humans, watermarking AI-generated content, identifying and mitigating harmful algorithmic biases, ensuring transparency, and promoting the adoption of privacy-preserving AI. Additionally, it will play a vital role in cultivating a workforce for the future that is adept in safe and trustworthy AI.

The organization will share information and participate in joint research efforts with comparable international institutions, including the forthcoming AI Safety Institute in the UK.

Within the Biden administration, governance boards are being set up to monitor progress in AI, offer guidance to agency leadership on AI issues, and coordinate and oversee the AI-related activities of the agencies.

While advocating for the imperative of government regulation, Harris will underscore, “Throughout history, it has become clear that, in the absence of regulation and strong government oversight, certain technology companies opt to prioritize profits over the well-being of their customers, the security of our communities, and the stability of our democracies. One effective way to tackle these challenges, in addition to ongoing efforts, is through legislation. Legislation that enhances AI safety without stifling innovation.