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President Biden Takes Bold Action with Landmark Executive Order on AI Regulation

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The move marks a significant step by the federal government into the burgeoning half-trillion-dollar AI industry, a sector dominated by industry giants including Google and Amazon.

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

President Joe Biden has issued a sweeping executive order to safeguard against potential threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI). The order, announced on Monday, seeks to prevent the misuse of AI technology for developing destructive weapons or launching highly potent cyberattacks.
The move marks a significant step by the federal government into the burgeoning half-trillion-dollar AI industry, a sector dominated by industry giants including Google and Amazon. The executive order also calls on Congress to pass data privacy legislation, a long-pursued goal facing numerous obstacles over the years.
The order introduces a range of regulations, including oversight over safety tests conducted by companies to evaluate AI-powered systems like conversation bots, such as ChatGPT. Additionally, it mandates industry standards like watermarks for identifying AI-driven products.
Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the ethical responsibility of leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to ensure that AI is harnessed in a way that safeguards the public and maximizes its benefits.
“We have a moral, ethical, and societal duty to make sure that AI is adopted and advanced in a way that protects the public from potential harm and ensures that everyone is able to enjoy its benefits,” Harris stated.
Biden and Harris have previously worked on the “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights,” which involved consultations with various experts, spanning computer scientists, civil rights leaders, legal scholars, and business figures. The aim was to ensure the equitable distribution of AI benefits and address potential challenges like algorithmic bias, data privacy violations, and deep fakes.
Biden highlighted the immense technological transformation expected in the next few years, especially in AI. He underscored the profound impact AI is already having in various aspects of daily life, from weather prediction to optimizing commute routes.
“We’re going to see more technological change in the next 10—maybe the next five years—than we’ve seen in the last 50 years, and that’s a fact,” Biden asserted. “And it’s the most consequential technology of our time. Artificial intelligence is accelerating that change. It’s going to accelerate it at warp speed.”
However, the President also acknowledged the potential downsides, particularly in instances where AI is used to exploit personal data and make social media platforms more addictive, which can have detrimental effects on mental health.
To mitigate the risks, the executive order outlines key measures:
1. AI Safety and Security: The Defense Production Act will be invoked to ensure companies demonstrate the safety of their most powerful AI systems before deployment. This involves rigorous testing and sharing independent results to verify they pose no national security or safety risks.
2. Trust and Transparency: The Department of Commerce will establish standards for watermarking and labeling AI-generated content, aiming to distinguish it from authentic content. This measure intends to combat the spread of deep fakes and disinformation.
3. Privacy Protection: The order calls for enhanced protections for personal data in the age of AI. It also addresses concerns about discrimination and bias, ensuring fairness in AI applications, particularly in housing, benefits, and employment decisions.
4. Consumer and Worker Safeguards: The order aims to ensure emerging AI technologies benefit consumers and workers alike. This includes leveraging AI for more effective and affordable healthcare solutions while implementing safeguards to prevent harm. It also calls for a comprehensive report on the potential impact of AI on the labor market.
5. Global Leadership and Collaboration: The administration aims to maintain American leadership in AI innovation and collaborate with international partners to establish guidelines for responsible AI development.
Biden emphasized the importance of congressional action to complement the executive order’s initiatives. He urged legislation to regulate Big Tech’s collection of personal data, particularly from children and teenagers online.
“We face a genuine inflection point in history, one of those moments where the decisions we make in the very near term are going to set the course for the next decades. And with the position we lead the world, the toughest challenges are the greatest opportunities,” the president continued. “Look, there’s no greater change that I can think of in my life than AI presents as a potential: exploring the universe, fighting climate change, ending cancer as we know it, and so much more. As artificial intelligence expands the boundary of human possibility and tests the bounds of human understanding, this landmark executive order is a testament to what we stand for: safety, security, trust, openness, American leadership, and the undeniable rights endowed by our Creator that no creator — no creation can take away.”

Congressional Black Caucus Confronts Ongoing Assault on Black Rights

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Members of the CBC said that statements made by their GOP counterparts at the Capitol have deeply disturbed them, adding to the mounting discontent. Rep. Eli Crane from Arizona made an offensive comment during a House floor debate by referring to Black people as “colored people.”

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) firmly stated that Black Americans are being attacked in various ways nationwide, with Republicans leading these efforts.
“We refuse to be victims, and we will not be silenced,” declared CBC Chairman and Representative Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) during a State of Black America press event held at the Capitol.
“Our fundamental rights are under siege, and our history is being denied. But we will not passively witness these actions. Too many people count on us to fight for them.”
Recent events in several GOP-led state legislatures have intensified concerns within the CBC.
Despite a Supreme Court order, Alabama and Louisiana legislatures refused to create an additional district with a majority of Black residents.
The Florida State Board of Education has approved new education guidelines that downplay the harsh history of slavery.
Instead, they emphasize the perceived benefits gained from the skills of enslaved people.
Rep. Maxwell Frost from Florida, the youngest member of the House, expressed frustration with his state’s guidelines.
He said these guidelines aim to erase and indoctrinate this generation with white supremacy.
However, Frost warned that Florida officials should not underestimate Black America’s determination to organize and resist.
Members of the CBC said that statements made by their GOP counterparts at the Capitol have deeply disturbed them, adding to the mounting discontent. Rep. Eli Crane from Arizona made an offensive comment during a House floor debate by referring to Black people as “colored people.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Tommy Tuberville from Alabama defended a controversial statement by denying the racism of white nationalists.
Horsford acknowledged that expectations from Republican leaders are minimal at this point, but Representative Troy Carter (D-La.) demanded that the party’s leaders take a stand against such bigotry.
“The silence from Republicans and others in the face of such egregious statements is deafening,” Carter said. “We will not condone the erasing of history. We must stand together to put an end to this.”
The CBC has issued a list of demands, calling on the Department of Justice and the Department of Education to launch investigations into education policies.
The caucus recently met with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to discuss policies about Black history.
They also sent formal letters to Cardona and Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging for a “strong legal strategy.”
“Black people did not benefit from slavery; we built this country,” emphasized Horsford.
“Our toil, sweat, and tears went into constructing the very foundation of this nation. Elevating Black America is an elevation for all. We will not tolerate this assault on our rights.”

Schedule released for the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

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Milwaukee, WI – WestCare Wisconsin today released the press conference schedule for the Victims’ Rights Week (Apr 25–29), offering a platform for victims and survivors of crime to lift their voices to say stop the violence, in different locations in the Harambee community.  Check out our social media and see the attached full schedule for additional details.  The 2022 Victims’ Rights Week will kick off the first press conference on Monday, April 25th at 12:00 Noon to speak on Domestic Violence at the Victory over Violence (VOV) Park located on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, between Center and Hadley Street.

 

Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime. During NCVRW, we celebrate the accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflect on how far we have come.  Every April, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of NCVRW.  This year NCVRW will be observed April 24–30.  The 2022 NCVRW theme is “Rights, access, equity, for all victims.”  The theme underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing victims’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.

 

WestCare Wisconsin will speak out about non-fatal violence and hold a “RECOVERY – For Victims of Violence” event week, a community-based campaign, to support victims and survivors of crime, and to give them a chance to lift their voices against the violent behavior happening in this urban neighborhood.  Violence creates trauma, PTSD, and other mental health issues for the victims and survivors who probably have no support to recover fully.  So, they are forced to live in fear to protect themselves from the anguish associated with the violence.  We stand with our community partners, the Milwaukee Police Department, to say “NO MORE VIOLENCE!  STOP THE VIOLENCE!”  Additional partners, who will assist with basic case management, public relations, safety, and awareness include: Northcott Neighborhood House, Crime Stoppers, Office of Violence Prevention, 6th District Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Milwaukee County Credible Messengers agencies, 414-Life, and Secure Bridges.  Together we stand united in this collaboration to no longer tolerate crime in the Harambee neighborhoods.

 

We invite the residents of all ages in the Harambee community to join us for the “RECOVERY – For Victims of Violence” community campaign at each press conference beginning at 12:00 Noon at the different locations: Monday April 25 – Domestic Violence; Tuesday April 26 – Homicide / Gun Violence; Wednesday April 27 – Non-Fatal Crimes /Reckless Driving; Thursday April 28 – Police Brutality; and Friday April 29 – Human Trafficking.