The White House will reportedly reveal a ‘sweeping’ AI executive order on October 30

The Biden Administration is reportedly preparing to unveil an extensive executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) in the coming week. According to reports from The Washington Post, this “sweeping order” from the White House will leverage the federal government’s purchasing power to establish requirements for AI models that government agencies must meet before deploying them. The order is scheduled for release on Monday, October 30, just two days before an international AI Safety Summit in the UK.

This executive order is expected to mandate that advanced AI models undergo a series of assessments before federal agencies can integrate them into their operations. Additionally, it will seek to facilitate immigration for highly skilled workers, a departure from the stricter restrictions imposed during the previous Trump administration. Federal agencies, including the Defense Department, Energy Department, and intelligence branches, will also be tasked with evaluating how AI can be integrated into their work, with a focus on enhancing the nation’s cybersecurity defenses.

While the White House has reportedly sent invitations for an event titled “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence” on October 30, hosted by President Biden, it’s important to note that the executive order is still in the drafting phase, and specific details may evolve.

In parallel, European officials are working on AI regulations, with the aim of finalizing a package by the end of the year. The US Congress is also in the early stages of crafting AI regulations, with Senator Charles Schumer hosting AI leaders at the recent AI Insights Forum.

AI regulation is a hot topic in the tech world, driven by the rapid advancement of generative AI in recent years. These AI systems, such as image generators and large language models like ChatGPT and others, have raised concerns about the potential for misinformation, job market disruption, and more. This includes the use of AI to create convincing images and text passages, as well as clone celebrities’ voices, leading to concerns about disinformation and its impact on elections and various industries, including journalism.