Recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as a top priority, artificial intelligence offers numerous benefits for the warfighter – but these potential advantages are not limited to the nation alone. While the DOD has accelerated its work to develop and deploy AI technologies, so have U.S. adversaries, making the race to perfect AI tools more intense than ever before.
For the U.S., a successful AI system means one that adheres to the nation’s democratic values, and ensuring that AI meets this standard requires trust in these new tools. According to the DOD’s Responsible Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Implementation Pathway released in June 2022, trust comes from following the ethical principles behind responsible AI.
These concepts will be explored during ExecutiveBiz’s Trusted AI and Autonomy Forum on Sept. 12, which will bring together DOD officials and private sector leaders to discuss the implications of AI use in critical missions. Dr. Kimberly Sablon, principal director of trusted AI and autonomy for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, will deliver a keynote address at the event.
Click here to register for the forum.
The RAI Strategy and Implementation Pathway is just one portion of the DOD’s extensive work to cultivate a trusted AI ecosystem. In recent years, the department has released several sets of guidelines regarding responsible AI, each building on the last to create a comprehensive plan for the swift implementation of trusted AI systems.
In February 2020, the DOD adopted five ethical principles for AI, which ordered that AI tools within the department should be responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable and governable. These principles supplemented the 2019 AI Strategy, which outlined the steps necessary for bringing AI into the DOD, and have served as the foundation for later department policies regarding RAI.
Also in 2020, the department established its AI Education Strategy to expand basic understanding of the technology across “service members in relevant occupational fields.” The curriculum covers a wide range of AI-related topics, many of which consider ethics, bias and risk factors surrounding AI.
Building on the initial five ethical principles, the Defense Innovation Unit released its Responsible AI Guidelines in November 2021. Aimed at the development process, these standards were created to ensure that the DOD’s ethical standards are followed across the full lifecycle of any AI tool.
To drive the implementation of these plans and guidelines, the DOD established its Chief Digital and AI Office in February 2022. CDAO reached full operating capability in June 2022, and now leads department-wide strategy and policy development for data, analytics and AI.
The office, which resulted from the integration of four preexisting organizations, includes a chief of RAI role, which is currently held by Diane Staheli. In line with the RAI S&I Pathway, Staheli said in a Q&A that CDAO’s RAI department is “heavily emphasizing the establishment of tools, guidance, and best practices that can be used to better equip the Department” through multiple upcoming projects.
