Biden Administration Pushes for Accelerated AI Adoption in Military and Intelligence Sectors

Biden Preps AI Warfare and Spying Plan

The Biden administration said the US must accelerate adoption of artificial intelligence for military and intelligence uses, directing agencies to quickly deploy the most powerful systems in a safe manner, according to a new national security memorandum. Bloomberg Government reporter Courtney Rozen joins Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow to discuss on "Bloomberg Technology." (Source: Bloomberg)

White House Pushes Agencies to Adopt AI for Military, Spy Uses

The Biden administration plans to accelerate adoption of artificial intelligence for military and intelligence uses, directing agencies to obtain the most powerful systems in a safe and secure manner, according to plans outlined in a new national security memorandum. The ambition to deploy AI in ways that would include lethal force is driven by fears that the US could fall behind China's efforts to rapidly advance its own cutting-edge efforts, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the memo before its release on Thursday and requested anonymity to discuss it.

White House urges agencies to adopt AI for military and spy use

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. must accelerate adoption of artificial intelligence for military and intelligence uses, directing agencies to quickly deploy the most powerful systems in a safe manner, according to a new national security memorandum. Announcing the strategy, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. must extend its lead on AI while also managing the risks, arguing that the fast-evolving technology could impact everything from nuclear physics to rocketry and stealth -- the ability of aircraft and other vehicles to avoid detection. "We have to be faster in deploying AI in our national security enterprise than America's rivals," Sullivan said in a speech to national security leaders at the National War College in Washington on Thursday. U.S. adversaries are in "a persistent quest to leapfrog our military and intelligence capabilities," he said, while warning they're unlikely to be bound by the same principles over its use.

Biden administration urges US agencies to 'harness' AI systems for national security

The Biden administration is encouraging government agencies to seize on the most advanced artificial intelligence systems to maintain an edge over its rivals and boost national security. The new directive is part of the first-ever national security memorandum (NSM) on AI, issued by President Biden on Thursday morning. "The NSM's fundamental premise is that advances at the frontier of AI will have significant implications for national security and foreign policy in the near future," senior administration officials told reporters Pointing to foreign adversaries including China, a senior administration official said a "failure" by the U.S. to take advantage of AI could put the nation at risk of a "strategic surprise." "There are very clear national security applications of artificial intelligence, including in areas like cybersecurity and counterintelligence, not to mention the broad array of logistics and other activities that support military operations," the official said on a call previewing the memo. "Because countries like China recognize similar opportunities to modernize and revolutionize their own military and intelligence capabilities using artificial intelligence, it's particularly imperative that we accelerate our national security community's adoption and use of cutting-edge AI capabilities to maintain our competitive edge," they added. The memo follows Biden's sweeping executive order issued last year on AI and managing its risks. Part of that order required the creation of a memo to outline the use of AI in national security agencies and how they can address the risks and benefits of the technology. The memo will serve as the "framework" for the AI Safety Insititute, which was launched within the Commerce Department as part of Biden's order, senior administration officials said. The memo formally desinates the AI Safety Institute as the country's primary port of contact when it comes to the emerging technology. The conversation over guardrails on AI has permeated across government including Congress, where lawmakers have held various hearings and meetings with experts to understand the risks and benefits of the technology. Three principles guided the memo, an official said, including the goal that the U.S. should lead the world's development of safe and trustworthy AI and a subsequent framework for its use. The memo directs the U.S. government to take action to improve the security and diversity of chip supply chains and provide AI developers with cybersecurity and counterintellgience to keep their inventions secure. "Another principle is that the US should harness the most advanced AI systems with appropriate safeguards to achieve national security objectives, and we are directing that the agencies gain access to the most powerful AI systems and put them to use, which often involves substantial efforts on procurement," the official said. The third principle is ensuring the use of AI aligns with the government's values, the official said. A companion document was released along with the memo to specify how agencies can and cannot use AI. This includes guidance on how the military and other agencies can prevent AI from being irresponsibly used to cause harm, the officials added, stating there are numerous prohibited uses listed in the framework. These uses include those that intend to illegally suppress free speech or remove human involvement in certain nuclear weapon decisions.

White House will order Pentagon and intel agencies to increase use of AI

The Biden administration is under pressure to speed up AI development while also safeguarding against potential risks associated with the technology. The White House is directing the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to increase their adoption of artificial intelligence, expanding Biden administration efforts to curb technological competition from China and other adversaries. The edict will appear in a landmark national security memorandum to be published Thursday. It aims to make government agencies step up experiments and deployments of AI.

Biden Memo Encourages Military Use of AI

President Joe Biden on Thursday published the first national security memorandum on how government agencies should adopt artificial intelligence, as well as how they should police the private companies developing the technology. The memo encouraged agencies such as the Department of State, Department of Defense and the Department of Justice to "harness" AI and develop training programs for