Artificial Intelligence and Society
Technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, and the United States must stay at the forefront in order to remain competitive on the global stage. Investing in research and development, as well as fostering a culture of innovation, will be key to maintaining our edge in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. As Secretary of State, I am committed to ensuring that America remains a leader in science and technology, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies to drive our economy forward.
Artificial Intelligence and Society
Investments in AI have led to transformative advances now impacting our everyday lives, including mapping technologies, voice-assisted smart phones, handwriting recognition for mail delivery, financial trading, smart logistics, spam filtering, language translation, and more. AI advances are also providing great benefits to our social wellbeing in areas such as precision medicine, environmental sustainability, education, and public welfare. As we continue to harness the power of AI, it is important to consider its impact on society and ensure that its benefits are accessible to all. By investing in AI research and development, we can unlock even more potential for innovation and progress in various fields. The collaboration between government, industry, and academia will be crucial in shaping the future of AI and ensuring its responsible and ethical use for the betterment of society.
“The term ‘artificial intelligence’ means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.”
NATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACT OF 2020
Artificial intelligence and foreign
The Department of State focuses on AI because it is at the center of the global technological revolution. Advances in AI technology present both great opportunities and challenges. The United States, along with our partners and allies, can both further our scientific and technological capabilities and promote democracy and human rights by working together to identify and seize the opportunities while meeting the challenges by promoting shared norms and agreements on the responsible use of AI.
Together with our allies and partners, the Department of State promotes an international policy environment and works to build partnerships that further our capabilities in AI technologies, protect our national and economic security, and promote our values. Accordingly, the Department engages in various bilateral and multilateral discussions to support the responsible development, deployment, use, and governance of trustworthy AI technologies.
Artificial Intelligence and Foreign Policy
Artificial Intelligence and Foreign Policy
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
The Department provides policy guidance to implement trustworthy AI through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) AI Policy Observatory, a platform established in February 2020 to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders and provide evidence-based policy analysis in the areas where AI has the most impact. The State Department provides leadership and support to the OECD Network of Experts on AI (ONE AI), which informs this analysis. The United States has 47 AI initiatives associated with the Observatory that help contribute to the COVID-19 response, invest in workforce training, promote safety guidance for automated transportation technologies, and more.
The OECD’s Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence is the backbone of the activities at the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and the OECD AI Policy Observatory. In May 2019, the United States joined with likeminded democracies around the world in adopting the OECD Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence, the first set of intergovernmental principles for trustworthy AI. The principles promote inclusive growth, human-centered values, transparency, safety and security, and accountability. The recommendation also encourages national policies and international cooperation to invest in research and development and support the broader digital ecosystem for AI. The Department of State champions the principles as the benchmark for trustworthy AI, which helps governments design national legislation.
By adhering to these principles, countries can ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed in a way that is ethical and beneficial to society. The Department of State's advocacy for these principles highlights the importance of collaboration and shared values in the global advancement of AI. By working together to uphold these standards, nations can build a foundation for responsible innovation and foster a culture of trust in AI technologies.
Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence
GPAI is a voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiative launched in June 2020 for the advancement of AI in a manner consistent with democratic values and human rights. GPAI’s mandate is focused on project-oriented collaboration, which it supports through working groups looking at responsible AI, data governance, the future of work, and commercialization and innovation. As a founding member, the United States has played a critical role in guiding GPAI and ensuring it complements the work of the OECD.
The United States has emphasized the importance of ethical considerations in the development and deployment of AI technologies within GPAI. By engaging in collaborative efforts with other member countries, the United States aims to promote transparency and accountability in AI governance. Through its involvement in GPAI, the United States is working towards establishing a framework that fosters innovation while upholding democratic principles and protecting human rights.
United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
In the context of military operations in armed conflict, the United States believes that international humanitarian law (IHL) provides a robust and appropriate framework for the regulation of all weapons, including those using autonomous functions provided by technologies such as AI. Building a better common understanding of the potential risks and benefits that are presented by weapons with autonomous functions, in particular their potential to strengthen compliance with IHL and mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, should be the focus of international discussion. The United States supports the progress made in this area by the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and the Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (GGE on LAWS), which adopted by consensus 11 Guiding Principles on responsible development and use of LAWS in 2019. The State Department will continue to work with our colleagues at the Department of Defense to engage the international community within the LAWS GGE.
We believe that through continued dialogue and cooperation, we can further strengthen the norms surrounding the use of autonomous weapons and ensure that they are developed and used in a manner that is consistent with international humanitarian law. By working together with other countries, we can create a framework that promotes transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations in the development and use of these technologies. The United States is committed to upholding the principles outlined in the Guiding Principles and will continue to advocate for their implementation on the international stage.
Other AI initiatives at the Department of State
Learn more about what specific bureaus and offices are doing to support this policy issue.
Northstar is the Bureau of Global Public Affairs’ powerful new digital and social media analytics tool that leverages AI to search and translate media content, auto-generate summaries, and assess the Department’s social media footprint, providing Department practitioners with comprehensive access to insights, data, and analytics about the global information environment all in one place.
The Global Engagement Center has developed a dedicated effort for the U.S. government to identify, assess, test, and implement technologies against the problems of foreign propaganda and disinformation in cooperation with foreign partners, private industry, and academia.
The Technology Engagement Team (TET)
The Office of the Under Secretary for Management uses AI technologies within the Department of State to advance traditional diplomatic activities, applying machine learning to internal information technology and management consultant functions.The Bureau of Information Resource Management (IRM)The Office of Management Strategy and Solutions (M/SS)
The Office of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment engages internationally to support the U.S. science and technology (S&T) enterprise through global AI research and development (R&D) partnerships, setting fair rules of the road for economic competition, advocating for U.S. companies, and enabling foreign policy and regulatory environments that benefit U.S. capabilities in AI. Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Office of International Communications and Information Policy (EB/CIP) Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Office of Trade and Policy Negotiations (EB/TPN) Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, Office of Science and Technology Cooperation (OES/STC) Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (E/STAS)
The Office of the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security focuses on the security implications of AI, including potential applications in weapon systems, its impact on U.S. military interoperability with its allies and partners, its impact on stability, and export controls related to AI. The Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (AVC) Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and AutonomyThe Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN)
The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM)The Office of the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security primarily addresses the security ramifications of artificial intelligence (AI). This includes examining its potential use in weapon systems, assessing its effects on the ability of the United States military to work effectively with its allies and partners, evaluating its impact on overall stability, and overseeing export controls pertaining to AI. The organization is referred to as the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance (AVC) Declaration on the Ethical and Accountable Deployment of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems in the Military. The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) is an organization. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM) is responsible for overseeing matters related to politics and military affairs. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM) works closely with the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance (AVC) and the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) to ensure that ethical guidelines are followed in the deployment of AI and autonomous systems in the military. By collaborating with its allies and partners, the PM Bureau helps to maintain overall stability and security in the international community. Additionally, the PM Bureau plays a key role in overseeing export controls to prevent the misuse of AI technology for military purposes.