As the development and use of artificial intelligence technologies continues along a rapid growth trajectory, the need for government to attract AI experts in a variety of fields is becoming more important than ever.
That was a top-line takeaway today from Alexander Macgillivray, principal deputy U.S. chief technology officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), who talked about the government’s need to recruit more AI experts during an address to the State of the Net conference on March. 6.
“The Federal government needs more AI experts,” he said. “We need technical experts, socio- technical experts, even lawyers and policy experts.”
“How we as a country establish strong boundaries for AI while pushing hard to realize its many promises is hugely important,” Macgillivray said. “Working in our government is a rewarding way to contribute to that work.”
Macgillivray’s call for more AI experts comes after the White House last year released its blueprint for an AI bill of rights which outlined the important areas that government needs to work on, with privacy being one of the hallmark challenges.
“The White House elevated privacy as a central principle in the blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights,” he said. “We’ve used prize challenges to push this research forward and research strategies to encourage the development of privacy enhancing technologies – kind of have your cake and eat it too technology – that would allow people and society to benefit from the use of data while maintaining privacy,” said Macgillivray.
He also underscored the Biden administration’s push to make affordable broadband services available to everyone in the United States.
“It’s a necessity, but for millions of Americans without an affordable, reliable broadband connection, those benefits have been out of reach for too long. We’re making investments in closing the infrastructure gaps and making high speed internet more affordable,” Macgillivray said.
