The Role Of The US Government In Regulating AI And Cybersecurity – OpEd

 December 26, 2022  Eurasia Review

By Arfa Khan

Artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity are two rapidly evolving areas that have significant implications for society and the global economy. As such, governments worldwide have begun to regulate these fields to ensure their safe and responsible development. In the United States, the government has played a significant role in regulating AI and cybersecurity, but the approach it has taken has been piecemeal and ad hoc.

One of the keyways in which the US government has sought to regulate AI is through the establishment of agencies and committees dedicated to overseeing its development. In June 2018, the White House Office created a Subcommittee on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, which is tasked with coordinating the federal government’s efforts in these areas. Additionally, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a number of initiatives focused on advancing AI, including the NIST AI Center of Excellence and the NIST AI Research Program.

Another way the US government sought to regulate AI is by developing guidelines and best practices. NIST has developed a set of guidelines for the ethical development of AI, which includes recommendations on issues such as transparency, accountability, and fairness. These guidelines are voluntary and are intended to provide guidance for developers and users of AI.

In the realm of cybersecurity, the US government has taken a number of steps to regulate the industry. One of the key ways in which it has done this is through the establishment of agencies and committees dedicated to cybersecurity. The Department of Homeland Security has a number of initiatives focused on cybersecurity, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC).

In addition to these agencies, the US government has also developed a number of guidelines and best practices for cybersecurity. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a framework for improving cybersecurity, which includes a set of core functions and categories that organizations can use to assess and improve their cybersecurity posture.

While the US government has taken a number of steps to regulate AI and cybersecurity, its approach has been somewhat piecemeal and ad hoc. This has led to concerns about the effectiveness of these efforts, as well as the potential for overlap and duplication. Additionally, some have argued that the US government has not done enough to regulate these industries, particularly in comparison to other countries that have taken a more proactive approach.

Overall, it is clear that the US government has played a significant role in regulating AI and cybersecurity, but there is still much work to be done to ensure that these industries are developed and used in a responsible and ethical manner. Going forward, it will be important for the government to continue to engage with industry, academia, and other stakeholders to ensure that the appropriate regulatory frameworks are in place to support the safe and responsible development of these technologies.

* Arfa Khan MPhil scholar in American Studies and International Relations at Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad.