The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center in the Department of Defense will be training individuals to implement and champion the AI principles which the department adopted.
The center, known as JAIC, announced the creation of a cohort of “Responsible AI Champions” who will receive training on how to apply the department’s AI Ethical Principles in areas such as product design and development; testing and evaluation/verification and validation; and acquisition.
“The intent is for these individuals to return to their respective work areas and champion implementation practices and processes that embody the DoD principles,” the release said.
In February, the department adopted five AI ethical principles based off the Defense Innovation Board’s October recommendations. These ethics principles set the goal that all AI use from the department will be responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable, and governable.
“Creating the principles is the easy part,” said JAIC Director Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, who is planning to retire this summer. “It’s the implementation part that is the hard part.”
In addition to the AI Champions, the department also created a subcommittee for AI, which includes individuals from the Joint Staff, all the Services, and the Office of the General Counsel among other DoD components. Since its beginning in early-March, the group has met twice, working to accomplish the goal of creating a more detailed policy document with additional ethical and legal considerations for the department’s use of AI.
In February, the president called for a two-year doubling of non-defense AI research and development. The center’s funding is set to increase $48 million from $242 million in FY 2020 to $290 million in FY 2021.
