White House releases AI Bill of Rights to hold tech companies accountable

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published 4 October 2022

The White House on Tuesday issued a "Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights," a roadmap to holding technology companies accountable for internal biases that might threaten the civil rights of citizens in an increasingly digital world, The Associated Press reports. The framework is meant to align AI technology with "the values of democracy and equity," AP writes.

The blueprint does not detail specific enforcement methods against companies that fail to follow its guidelines; instead, it's focused on five ways to ensure AI programs are being developed with built-in protections for users' civil liberties.

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"These technologies are causing real harms in the lives of Americans," said a senior administration official, per Axios. "Harms that run counter to our core democratic values, including the fundamental right to privacy, freedom from discrimination, and our basic dignity."

The document was the culmination of a year-long study carried out by over two dozen government departments, and features feedback from civil society groups and various industry researchers, AP writes. The report also includes real-life examples of AI technology causing harm due to apparent internal biases. Such examples include an AI system that discriminated against student loan seekers who attended a Historically Black College or University, and an algorithm that overwhelmingly suggested the families of Black children be investigated by child welfare agencies.

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Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.