US AI Safety Consortium Unveiled: Tech Giants at the Helm

The United States Department of Commerce has announced the creation of the AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC), which will bring together various stakeholders in the tech industry to promote the development of safe and reliable artificial intelligence (AI). According to Gina Raimondo, the Secretary of Commerce, the consortium aims to unite AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations. The U.S. government has been tasked with setting standards and developing tools to mitigate the risks associated with AI and to protect the innovation ecosystem. AISIC will be responsible for developing guidelines for various aspects of AI, such as evaluating capabilities, risk management, safety and security, and watermarking synthetic content.

With more than 200 members, the AISIC consists of some of the biggest names in the tech industry, including Microsoft, Google, Meta, Apple, OpenAI, Anthropic, Adobe, Nvidia, GitHub, and many others. The consortium also includes state and local governments, as well as non-profit organizations, who will collaborate with organizations from other countries to establish industry standards. This initiative builds upon the establishment of the U.S.’s AI Safety Institute (USAISI), which was created in response to President Biden’s executive order on AI safety issued in late October 2023. Raimondo emphasized that the executive order will ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in the development and responsible deployment of AI.

Bruce Reed, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, stressed the importance of keeping up with AI advancements and ensuring alignment across different sectors. He recently convened the White House AI Council to assess the progress made in implementing the executive order. As a result of these efforts, an updated fact sheet indicated that the U.S. has met or exceeded the requirements set for the initial three months. The collaboration between government, the private sector, and academia is crucial in advancing AI technologies and ensuring their safe and responsible use.