The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) issued the following statements on the White House’s announcements of three key AI initiatives:

Paul Lekas, Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy & Government Affairs:

“SIIA is encouraged by the announcements made by the White House today to advance research, development, and deployment of responsible AI.

“Since the US government last updated its National AI R&D Strategic Plan in 2019, the landscape has changed dramatically. AI has risen to the forefront of the economy with significant implications for the business of information and the whole of American society. R&D is critical to U.S. leadership in responsible AI innovation. Federal R&D spending has declined precipitously in recent decades and we are pleased to see the administration take steps to bolster federal infrastructure.

“We are eager to work with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to advance policies that promote responsible AI innovation and applications of AI technologies that advance opportunities, solve societal problems, and mitigate risks to safety, security, and legal rights. We look forward to addressing the questions in OSTP’s new request for information and helping to shape a democratic vision for AI governance.”

Sara Kloek, Vice President, Education and Children’s Privacy:

“We are pleased by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Education Technology’s (OET) release of Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning.  OET provides much needed thought leadership in defining the role AI can play in the future of teaching and learning.

AI can be and has already proven to be a powerful tool in the classroom. We believe that the deployment of AI in education must be done in a way that addresses risks associated with the development and use of these tools. OET’s document takes an important step in defining the benefits and risks of using AI in learning, teaching, assessment, and research and development with a specific focus on the impact on learners and educators. This OET guidance is the most robust assessment to date about the use of AI in educational environments. We look forward to working with OET and stakeholders to implement practices to optimize the use of AI in learning environments while mitigating the risks that these systems present.