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Biden meets with tech company critics on AI

President Joe Biden, left, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom listen to a speaker before Biden delivers remarks on his administration’s environmental efforts at the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center and Preserve in Palo Alto, Calif., on Monday. (Tribune News Service)
By Gerrit De Vynck and Cristiano Lima Washington Post

President Biden on Tuesday met with a group of civil society leaders who’ve been critical of Big Tech companies in the past to discuss the boom in artificial intelligence, part of a broader push by the U.S. government to get involved in the conversation around AI tech and its potential risks.

Biden, in brief remarks to reporters before the meeting in San Francisco, said that he was there to learn about the potential controls that could be put in place to protect people from the harms of the new tech.

“Social media has already shown us the harm that powerful technology can do without the right safeguards in place,” Biden said. “I’d like to hear more from this group because I have a lot to learn. And we also have a lot to discuss.”

The meeting included Tristan Harris, executive director of the Center for Human Technology who became well-known for his criticism of social media companies over the past few years, Algorithmic Justice League founder Joy Buolamwini, who has highlighted how AI and algorithms can propagate racist and sexist biases, and Jim Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, a longtime children’s advocate.

Microsoft, Google, OpenAI and other major tech companies are rushing to develop new AI tools and push them out to millions of people. The companies have been lobbying in Washington and to other governments around the world, suggesting potential regulation while stressing the importance of allowing them to continue develop the tech. Critics have warned that the companies are focused on profit, and are trying to head-off strict government controls, or have a hand in shaping them to their own benefit.

The White House is keen to indicate that it is taking the boom in AI and its risks seriously. In May, the president hosted the chief executives of OpenAI, Microsoft and Google for a “frank and constructive discussion” about the tech. The government also put out an “AI bill of rights” laying out guidelines for how federal agencies should use AI. And the National Science Foundation has allocated new funding for AI research.

The focus on AI is mirrored in Congress, where both the House and the Senate have had hearings on the tech. Still, it’s unclear whether the focus on AI in Washington will lead to new legislation.