The Golden Age of AI governance appears to have dawned.
Earlier this year, immediately following Trump’s inauguration, OpenAI, arguably the preeminent American AI startup, announced “ChatGPT Gov,” a version of OpenAI’s wildly popular ChatGPT service designed specifically for U.S. government agencies.
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“Self-hosting ChatGPT Gov enables agencies to more easily manage their own security, privacy, and compliance requirements, such as stringent cybersecurity frameworks,” per OpenAI. “ChatGPT Gov reflects our commitment to helping U.S. government agencies leverage OpenAI’s technology today.”
Recent memos from the White House Office of Management and Budget take us one step closer to the implementation of AI in the federal government, including the issuance of a 200-day deadline for the rollout of “a web-based repository of AI procurement tools,” which, according to the schedule, would mean implementation before the end of the year.
Via FedScoop, April 4 (emphasis added):
The White House Office of Management and Budget released a pair of memos to provide agencies with guardrails for how they use and purchase artificial intelligence in the government, replacing Biden administration guidance but maintaining some of the same structures.
Both memos, which are dated April 3, represent some of the first major policy actions President Donald Trump has taken on the government’s use of AI. Trump began his administration by rolling back former President Joe Biden’s AI executive order and later issuing one of his own that called for an AI action plan and a review of the previous administration’s work on the technology. Specifically, the order included directions to revise the Biden OMB’s AI governance and acquisition guidance.
The first new memo (M-25-21) provides guardrails for use and replaces Biden’s directive on the same topic (M-24-10). That document states agencies are to focus on three priorities when accelerating the federal use of AI — innovation, governance and public trust — which align with an executive order on the technology from the first Trump administration…
It also sets a 200-day deadline for the General Services Administration and OMB to create a web-based repository of AI procurement tools, which was suggested but not given a specific timeline in the Biden-era memo.
A serious competition for AI.gov supremacy has erupted as startups jockey for position to land the forthcoming, very likely highly lucrative government contracts.
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Specifically, it’s OpenAI vs. DOGE boss Elon Musk’s AI rival service, Grok.
Via CNBC, March 13 (emphasis added):
On Thursday, OpenAI submitted its proposal to the U.S. government, emphasizing the need for speed in AI advancement and a light hand from regulators while highlighting its take on the dangers of AI technology coming out of China.
The proposal underscores OpenAI’s direct effort to influence the government’s coming “AI Action Plan,” a tech strategy report to be drafted by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and submitted to President Trump by July…
OpenAI, which as of last month was reportedly close to finalizing a $40 billion investment from SoftBank at a $260 billion valuation, is in a precarious position with Trump’s second White House. While the company was part of Trump’s Stargate announcement and the billions of dollars of AI infrastructure investment tied to the plan, OpenAI is in a heated legal and public relations battle with Elon Musk, who owns a rival AI startup and is one of Trump’s top advisors.
A couple of points:
The adoption of AI as a governance tool is probably inevitable, as it is in the field of national security. The cost-savings and strategic advantage it confers is too alluring to pass up.
If the United States isn’t in the driver’s seat, that would leave China to rule the techno-sphere, which certainly wouldn’t be good for America — or any other nation-state. So it’s the nuclear arms race all over again; no one wants to be left out in the cold.
That said, there are very serious potential consequences for unleashing AI, developed by private firms with their own interests, on a government with a $6.9 trillion budget, a sprawling surveillance/security apparatus, and advanced weaponry at its disposal.
In order for AI to fulfill its promise, as espoused by OpenAI, of “serving the national interest and the public good, aligned with democratic values,” it would have to be programmed and maintained with that as the Prime Directive, as it were.
Does anyone really trust Sam Altman, Larry Ellison, or the weird Japanese midget billionaire to actually put AI to work for the public good as their primary objective?
Has Big Tech earned that trust?
