US, EU Officials Want Joint AI 'Rules of the Road'

The U.S. and EU will tackle AI issues together in the newly launched Trade and Technology Council because it's vital they "write the rules of the road" together, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told a Thursday virtual BSA|The Software Alliance event. The two regions don't have widely different views on technology, and they share commitments to privacy, democracy and equity, she said: One challenge is to determine how to regulate and set standards for emerging tech in a way that lets it flourish while safeguarding fundamental values. The European Commission unveiled an AI regulatory framework last month based on risk management (see 2104210003). The U.S. wants to develop similar, said Raimondo. She said the key is "robust industry engagement. Industry needs to lean in" and partner with the U.S. government: The goal is to "harness the power but keep a lid on the danger." Ensure tech doesn't undermine trust, said Margrethe Vestager, EC executive vice president-Europe Fit for the Digital Age: That includes ensuring there's no bias in AI. Creating trust and safety for AI is "market-creating," she said: The marketplace for the many applications for AI use within public sector activities won't function without trust. BSA launched its framework for confronting bias in AI Thursday. It calls for a process for carrying out impact assessments to identify and mitigate potential bias risks; identifies existing best practices and technical tools for lessening specific bias risks; and lays out corporate governance processes and safeguards needed for effective risk management. Separately, Raimondo met with EU officials at the June 14-16 U.S.-EU summit, Commerce newly blogged. She and EC officials agreed on the importance of data transfers and the need to continue talks on a successor to data-sharing mechanism Privacy Shield. They "recognized that, while key issues remained to be addressed in those negotiations, the liberal values and commitment to individual privacy shared by the U.S. and EU would help drive those negotiations to a mutually-agreeable resolution at the appropriate time."