| By Loc Le |

DHS Spearheads AI Safety and Security Board Launch

In an effort to combat the rising concerns and risks associated with the rapid growth of AI, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched the Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board which was announced on April 26 by Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The creation of the board is a result of President Biden’s executive order directing DHS to address the growing influence of AI on national security and public safety. It also comes a month after the DHS released the Artificial Intelligence Roadmap which details how the Department will “responsibly leverage AI to advance homeland security missions while protecting individuals’ privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties; promote nationwide AI safety and security; and, continue to lead in AI through strong cohesive partnership.”

Board Unveils Strategic Vision

Tailored to specific industries and critical sectors such as transportation, energy, utilities, and information technology, the board will play a pivotal role in developing recommendations for proactive and reactive measures regarding AI-related disruptions that could jeopardize the country or the economy. “It is not a board that will be focused on theory, but rather practical solutions for the implementation of AI in our nation’s daily life,” said Mayorkas. While he believes that AI is capable of extraordinary advancements for the U.S., Mayorkas also emphasizes the risks and how they can be mitigated by implementing robust practices and leveraging other actions that have been proven to be effective. 

Leaders Across Industries Unite in Expert Alliance

In total, the board is comprised of 22 members from various fields and includes notable executives from leading technology companies such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei, NVIDIA president and CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky, among others. According to Mayorkas, “it was very important to bring key developers of this extraordinary powerful tool to the board.” Beyond the realm of technology, the blue-ribbon board also includes prominent figures from more diverse areas including civil rights advocates and public officials such as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhakar, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights president and CEO Maya Wiley, Center for Democracy and Technology president and CEO Alexandra Reeve Givens, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. These and other members will be responsible for advising the agency “on the safe and secure development and deployment of AI technology in [the] nation’s critical infrastructure.”

Implementing Immediate Priorities and Proactive Measures

The board will convene quarterly starting with the inaugural meeting scheduled for early May where the initial priorities include providing actionable recommendations for safe AI adoption in essential services and facilitating information sharing on AI-related security risks. Subsequent meetings will then focus on ensuring that the DHS remains vigilant on emerging threats “posed by hostile nation-state actors” and also “reinforce [the country’s] national security by helping to deter and prevent those threats.” The launch of the AI Safety and Security Board highlights the Department’s commitment to staying ahead of the risks AI poses which the DHS outlined in its Homeland Threat Assessment of 2024. By harnessing the collective expertise of industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders, the DHS will help AI technologies grow in a safe and secure manner which is crucial as AI will undoubtedly have a substantial impact on the country’s future.