By Aamer Madhani
WASHINGTON (AP) --The White House on Tuesday announced new efforts to guide federally backed research on artificial intelligence as the Biden administration looks to get a firmer grip on understanding the risks and opportunities of the rapidly evolving technology.
Among the moves unveiled by the administration was a tweak to the United States' strategic plan on artificial intelligence research, which was last updated in 2019, to add greater emphasis on international collaboration with allies.
White House officials on Tuesday were also hosting a listening session with workers on their firsthand experiences with employers' use of automated technologies for surveillance, monitoring, evaluation, and management. And the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology issued a report focused on the risks and opportunities related to AI in education.
"The report recognizes that AI can enable new forms of interaction between educators and students, help educators address variability in learning, increase feedback loops, and support educators," the White House said in a statement. "It also underscores the risks associated with AI — including algorithmic bias — and the importance of trust, safety, and appropriate guardrails."
The U.S. government and private sector in recent months have begun more publicly weighing the possibilities and perils of artificial intelligence.
Tools like the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT have sparked a surge of commercial investment in other AI tools that can write convincingly human-like text and churn out new images, music and computer code. The ease with which AI technology can be used to mimic humans has also propelled governments around the world to consider how it could take away jobs, trick people and spread disinformation.
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Congress "must move quickly" to regulate artificial intelligence. He has also convened a bipartisan group of senators to work on legislation.
The latest efforts by the administration come after Vice President Kamala Harris met earlier this month with the heads of Google, Microsoft, ChatGPT-creator OpenAI and Anthropic. The administration also previously announced an investment of $140 million to establish seven new AI research institutes.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Tuesday also issued a new request for public input on national priorities "for mitigating AI risks, protecting individuals' rights and safety, and harnessing AI to improve lives."
Droga5 Appoints Emma Montgomery As Global Chief Strategy Officer
Creative agency network Droga5 has appointed Emma Montgomery as global chief strategy officer. She is the third global appointment for the agency this year, with Pelle Sjoenell named worldwide chief creative officer this past March, and global CEO Mark Green recently appointed this fall. Montgomery will be responsible for connecting and supercharging Droga5’s strategy and creative offerings globally. She will be based in its headquarters in New York City.
“Emma is a world-class strategic leader and authority that I’ve long admired and dreamt of being partners-in-crime with,” said Sjoenell. “Her work inspires the creativity that connects people and brands in ways that move business and culture forward, so I’m excited to finally be able to work with her alongside Mark, and to see her lead and further strengthen our leadership and strategy teams around the world.”
Montgomery joins Droga5 after serving as CEO of DDB Chicago. She’s been in the industry for over 20 years, and has served in several high-level leadership positions throughout her career, including as president and CSO of Leo Burnett Chicago, global CSO of TBWA, and CEO of Leo Burnett Australia. She’s also worked across a breadth of categories and multiple global clients such as Kraft, Aldi, Diageo and Molson Coors, among many others, including challenger brands and startups.
“I’m excited to join Droga5 and have the opportunity to help carve out a new path for the brand globally, building on its tremendous legacy of creative leadership,” said Montgomery. “The potential of Droga5, combined with the possibilities of Accenture Song, was too exciting to pass up. No other agency has what they have, and as marketing shifts, the chance to make creativity a genuine... Read More