The Biden administration has come under criticism from the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a conservative watchdog group, for alleged attempts to use artificial intelligence (AI) to promote a progressive ideology. The AAF alleges that this effort is being led by left-wing activists, not technology experts, in the attempt to instill “dangerous ideologies” into AI systems.
AAF president Tom Jones claims, “Under the guise of fighting ‘algorithmic discrimination’ and ‘harmful bias,’ the Biden administration is trying to rig AI to follow the woke left’s rules.” Jones went on to suggest that technology policy is being advised by racially-focused social academics and activists, posing a risk of significant societal change.
The AAF report cited the “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights,” released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, which calls for a review of bias in data used for AI system development or assessment, and advocates for “proactive equity assessments” in system design. It also highlighted the executive order signed by President Biden in February, aimed to promote data equity, fight algorithmic discrimination, and ensure AI is used to advance equity.
Arati Prabhakar, director of Biden’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, endorsed these steps and acknowledged the executive order’s objective to root out bias in the design and use of AI technologies.
The AAF report further outlined the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan, which advocates for resources to fight “harmful biases” and acknowledges that “AI systems are prone to ‘hallucinate’ and recapitulate biases derived from unfiltered data.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, assigned as “AI czar” by President Biden, also noted concerns about racial bias in AI and the necessity to counteract it. She argued that racial bias in technology is a crucial concern as it is harder to detect compared to other forms of bias.
The AAF also noted the appointment of Miriam Vogel, the president and CEO of EqualAI, to chair the National AI Advisory Committee. EqualAI is a nonprofit dedicated to reducing unconscious bias in AI and promoting responsible AI governance.
Criticism of the Biden administration’s approach to AI also came from Elon Musk, Twitter owner, who expressed concern that AI could be weaponized to push political agendas and spread misinformation. “The danger of training AI to be woke — in other words, lie — is deadly,” Musk warned.
