Many Artificial Intelligence Initiatives Included in the NDAA – RTInsights

The NDAA guidelines reestablish an artificial intelligence advisor to the president and push education initiatives to create a tech-savvy workforce.

Theres plenty of debate surrounding why the USAs current regulatory stance on artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity remains fragmented. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes quite a few AI and cybersecurity driven initiatives for both the military and non-military entities.

Its common to attach provisions to bills whenCongress, the Senate, or both know the bill must pass by a certain time. TheNDAA is one such bill. It has a yearly deadline every year or the countrysmilitary completely loses funding leading to lawmakers using it to pass lawsthat dont always make it on their own. (This years bill was initially vetoed.But the veto was overridden on January 1.)

The bill contains 4,500 pages worth ofinformation. Along with a few different initiatives, one particular moveoutlines both the military and the governments new interest in artificialintelligence.

One of the biggest moves in the bill has to do with the newly created Joint AI Center (JAIC). It moves from the under the supervision of the DODs CIO to the deputy secretary of defense. It moves higher in the DOD hierarchy, possibly underscoring just how crucial new cybersecurity initiatives are to the Department of Defense.

To that end, the JAIC is the Department of Defenses (DoD) AI Center of Excellence that provides expertise to help the Department harness the game-changing power of AI. The mission of the JAIC is to transform the DoD by accelerating the delivery and adoption of artificial intelligence. The goal is to use AI to solve large and complex problem sets that span multiple services, then ensure the Services and Components have real-time access to ever-improving libraries of data sets and tools.

The center will also receive its own oversightboard matching other bill provisions dealing with AI ethics and will soonhave acquisition authority as well. The center will be creating reportsbiannually about its work and its integration with other notable agencies.

The secretary of defense will also investigatewhether the DoD can use AI ethically, both acquired and developed technologies.This will happen within 180 days of the bills passing, creating a pressingdeadline for handling ethics issues surrounding both new technologies and the often-controversialuse of military AI-use.

The DoD will receive a steering committee onemerging technology as well as new hiring guidelines for AI-technologists. Thedefense department will also take on five new AI-driven initiatives designed toimprove efficiency at the DoD.

The second massive provision in the bill is a large piece of cybersecurity legislation. The Cyberspace Solarium Commission worked on quite a few pieces of legislation that made it into the bills final version. The bill creates a White House cyber director position. It also gives the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) more authority for threat hunting.

It directs the executive branch to conductcontinuity of the economy planning to protect critical economicinfrastructure in the case of cyberattacks. It also establishes a joint cyberplanning office at CISA.

The Cybersecurity Security Model Certification(CMMC) will fall under the Government Accountability Office, and the governmentwill require regular briefings from the DoD on its progress. CMMC is thegovernments accreditation body, and this affects anyone in the defensecontract supply chain.

Entities outside the Department of Defensewill have new initiatives as well. The National AI Initiative hopes toreestablish the United States as a leading authority and provider of artificialintelligence. The initiative will coordinate research, development, anddeployment of new artificial intelligence programs among the DOD as well ascivilian agencies.

This coordination should help bring coherenceand consistency to research and development. In the past, critics have cited alack of realistic and workable regulations as a clear reason the United Stateshas fallen behind in AI development.

It will advise future presidents on the stateof AI within the country to increase competitiveness and leadership. Thecountry can expect more training initiatives and regular updates about thescience itself. It will lead and coordinate strategic partnerships andinternational collaboration with key allies and provide those opportunities tothe US economy.

AI bias is a huge concern among business and US citizens, so the National AI Initiative Advisory Committee will also create a subcommittee on AI and law enforcement. Its findings on data security, and legal standards could affect how businesses handle their own data security in the future.

The National Science Foundation will runawards, competitions, grants, and other incentives to develop trustworthy AI.The country is betting heavily on new initiatives to increase trust among USconsumers as AI becomes a more important part of our lives.

NIST will expand its mission to createframeworks and standards for AI adoption. NIST guidelines already offercompanies a framework for assessing cybersecurity. The updates will helpdevelop trustworthy AI and spell a pathway for AI adoption that consumers willtrust and embrace.

As countries scramble to first place in AIreadiness, these initiatives hope to fix some key gaps leading to the USslagging authority. The NDAA guidelines reestablish an AI-advisor to thepresident and push education initiatives to create a tech-savvy workforce.

It also helps create guidelines for businesses already frantically adopting AI-driven initiatives, providing critical guidance for cybersecurity and sustainability frameworks. Between training and NIST frameworks, businesses could see a new era of trustworthy and ethical AI the sort that creates real insights and efficiency while mitigating risk.

Other countries are investing heavily in AIdevelopment, so new and expanded provisions will help secure the United Statesplace as a world leader in AI. Governmental funding and collaboration withcivilian researchers and development teams is one way the US can remain trulycompetitive in new technology the presence of such a robust body ofAI-focused legislations suggests lawmakers are making this a priority.

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Many Artificial Intelligence Initiatives Included in the NDAA - RTInsights