President Issues Executive Order Regulating Some Government Uses of AI

President Trump recently signed an Executive Order on "Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government," which establishes principles for certain federal government uses of AI. The principles state that AI systems must be lawful, purposeful, accurate, reliable, effective, safe, understandable, responsible, traceable, regularly monitored, transparent, and accountable. The order instructs applicable agencies to create public inventories of AI use and identify AI uses that are inconsistent with the principles. However, the principles do not apply to AI used in defense or national security systems or other "common commercial products." The Office of Management and Budget published similar principles in January, and the new order instructs the OMB to develop guidance for agencies to comply with the AI principles. In March, EPIC urged the OMB to follow the Universal Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence as a basis for AI policy.