GAO Report: Federal Agencies Are Not Complying with AI Requirements

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report reviewing federal agencies’ compliance with AI requirements, such as use case inventories. The report found that of the 20 federal agencies that reported planned and current uses of AI, 15 agencies’ use case inventories contained inaccurate and incomplete information. Based on this review, GAO made 35 recommendations to 19 agencies directing them to fully implement AI requirements. These recommendations included directing 15 agencies to update their use case inventories to include required information; 12 agencies to fully implement AI requirements from federal law, policy, and guidance; and OMB, OSTP, and OPM to implement AI requirements, such as issuing guidance. 

“For far too long, agencies have not faithfully complied with algorithmic transparency and accountability obligations set forth by Executive Orders and OMB guidance, leaving citizens and oversight groups in the dark” EPIC Senior Counsel Ben Winters said, “This report confirms this troubling trend, even as new requirements from President Biden’s Executive Order go into effect, and creates urgency to comply fully or stop using AI in sensitive use cases.”

EPIC consistently calls for increased transparency and accountability in government use and funding of artificial intelligence. EPIC has highlighted agencies’ incomplete and inadequate compliance with required use case inventories and urged agencies to fully comply with AI regulations.