Not just a benign buzzword: Setting expectations for AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a buzzword on everyone’s lips, and to quote a hit song from the 1980s, apparently, “The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.” In other words, many are quick to sing the praises of AI and the opportunities that lie ahead. However, as AI gains more headlines and becomes more ubiquitous, some, including employers, are becoming more aware of the issues and risks attached to this new technology.

Promise and peril

Last fall, the White House issued its “Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,” which recognizes the “extraordinary potential for both promise and peril” in AI technology but cites several critical expectations for AI governance:

·     It must be safe and secure, not just in terms of generalized cybersecurity risk but also to determine that the system itself is “ethically developed and operated in a secure manner” and is “compliant with applicable federal laws and policies.”