Technology companies pledge to use AI responsibly

Tech giants in the USA are committed to using AI responsibly. Risk assessments aim to curb misinformation and enhance safety of use.

Seven leading developers of artificial intelligence (AI) software in the USA have pledged to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes screening AI software for risks before deployment. In addition, content created or modified by artificial intelligence software must be flagged, US President Joe Biden said at a meeting with representatives of large technology and internet companies in Washington.

Participating companies include Google, Amazon, Facebook Meta Group and Microsoft. OpenAI, whose technology is behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT, is also there.

Growing anxiety misinformation

In the latest success with the ChatGPT chatbot developed by OpenAI, concerns have grown that misinformation, including images and videos that appear deceptively real, could be created and distributed with the help of AI software. Because the program does not understand the content: this is why it can also make completely false claims regarding supposed persuasion.

The companies committed to “developing a more comprehensive regulation that would make it easier for consumers to recognize whether or not content has been artificially generated.” “There is still technical work to be done, but the bottom line is that it applies to audio and video content and will be part of a larger system,” a White House official said.

In the United States, with the aim of the 2024 presidential election, methods are being sought to determine whether audio or video materials were created artificially in order to prevent fraud and forgery.

Anti-bias

However, critics also point out that AI software is not free from bias and discrimination. The companies have vowed to address the issue. They also agreed to direct AI towards grand challenges such as cancer research and climate change.

“Limits and censorship required”

AI poses risks to society, the economy, and national security — but also incredible opportunities, Biden said. Biden said after a meeting with company officials at the White House that the voluntary commitments were a “promising step,” but that new laws and oversight would also be needed. Also joining the commitment are Anthropic and Inflection, which are developing AI assistants.

The White House says it wants to work with US allies on international rules for AI. The topic was already on the agenda of the G7 summit in Japan in May. The UK is expected to host an international AI summit in the fall.

At the EU level, comprehensive labeling requirements for AI-generated content are currently being discussed as part of a comprehensive AI law. Federal Digital Minister Volker Wessing has called for the introduction of AI stamping for texts as well as for tagging images and audio recordings.