US commission urges AI development amid global security concerns

American technology companies racing to develop and adopt artificial intelligence technology should do so responsibly and safely, according to a longtime security expert who has spent years studying the issue. 

In a conversation on Thursday during A.I. Week, an event produced by Scoop News Group, Yll Bajraktari, the executive director of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, urged U.S. citizens to think carefully about the ethical use of powerful new technologies. The advice comes after Bajraktari’s commission published a report advising the U.S. government on issues to consider around the use of A.I. 

The commission was established in 2018 to examine America’s ability to defend against malicious automation, and understand how the U.S. might best move forward in understanding such technology. In a report published March of this year, the group warned that the U.S. is not sufficiently prepared to compete with China on the issue. 

“The United States should make developments in this field responsibly, and we need to take steps to ensure that these technologies work with and toward democratic values,” he said. “This is how we make a difference in this world.” 

Among the numerous lessons in the 756-page report is a warning that China’s surging economic growth and global influence presents a threat to the “technological predominance” that the U.S. has enjoyed since the end of World War II. The result, the report warns, is a more significant  threat of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns “that Russia, China and others are using to infiltrate our society, steal our data and interfere” with democracy. 

One solution is to foster technological growth in the U.S. by increasing collaboration with India, Israel and other allies working to develop A.I. Additional investment in U.S. technology development, establishing infrastructure for experimentation and accelerating research efforts also should be key priorities, Bajraktari said. 

“Bold action is needed to meet the promise of emerging and disruptive technology like A.I.,” he said. “Doing more of the same will not meet the call.”