White House and Pentagon prioritize AI for national security

Seeking to maintain U.S. dominance with AI, President Joe Biden signed a new national security memorandum Thursday meant to speed the adoption of AI technologies throughout the U.S. military and intelligence agencies.

In the memo, the White House refers to AI as an "era-defining technology" and instructs national security apparatuses to accelerate the adoption and integration of AI systems. An administration official who spoke about the ongoing effort said that failure to do so opens the country up to "strategic surprise" from adversary nations, most notably China, which is aggressively developing its own capabilities in AI.

The guidelines are meant to ensure AI is developed and used in a way that respects civil liberties and human rights. However, the main focus is getting AI integrated into areas critical for national defense, from intelligence gathering to military operations.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said ensuring the US has leading-edge AI will be paramount in the coming years. He also warned that ceding dominance in AI research and deployment to other countries could seriously weaken American security.

This is our nation’s first ever strategy for harnessing the power and managing the risks of AI to advance our national security. If we don't act more intentionally to seize our advantages, if we don't deploy AI more quickly and more comprehensively to strengthen our national security, we risk squandering our hard-earned lead.

Besides all, the memo also aims to accelerate the diffusion of AI and to seek protection for the domestic computer chip industry. Advanced semiconductors are essential for powering AI, but reliance on foreign sources could undermine security. It also targets economic espionage aimed at stealing innovative AI technologies.

While getting a leg up nationally, the administration said it will work internationally to establish norms around responsible AI development. The guidelines cite discussions with allies such as those in the G7, as well as UN resolutions, as avenues for cooperation in setting standards.