Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Request for Information (RFI) on the implementations of its responsibilities under the recent Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The following statement can be attributed to TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore:

“AI has the potential to help us solve the greatest challenges of our time. As we highlight in our AI for America initiative, AI is being used to predict severe weather more accurately, protect critical infrastructure, defend against cyber threats, and accelerate the development of new medical treatments, including life-saving vaccines and ways to detect earlier signs of cancer.

“However, recognizing and addressing the genuine risks associated with AI is crucial for its responsible development. By addressing these concerns head-on, we can ensure we’re making the most of its benefits.

“As NIST begins developing guidelines and standards established in President Biden’s Executive Order on AI, we support the agency’s efforts to set forward-looking benchmarks to ensure AI is safely tested and deployed responsibly. Many TechNet members are utilizing NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework to ensure AI is safe, from development to deployment, and we look forward to this framework being updated to address advancements in generative AI. We also encourage NIST to establish consistent and clear AI definitions so that companies are certain about their responsibilities.

“We appreciate the President’s continued leadership on AI. We look forward to working with his Administration to ensure AI policies benefit all Americans, address the risks, and strengthen our global competitiveness.”

You can read TechNet’s comments here.

Additional background on TechNet’s recent actions and leadership on AI policy include:

  • TechNet launched “AI for America,” a $25 million initiative to educate the public about how AI is being used to improve lives, grow our economy, and keep us safe. The initiative includes broadcast, cable, and digital advertising.
  • TechNet released a comprehensive federal AI policy framework, which included recommendations for protecting consumers’ personal information, promoting innovation and our global competitiveness, identifying unintended bias and discrimination, and investing in upskilling and workforce training programs.
  • TechNet issued a statement on President Biden’s Executive Order on artificial intelligence.
  • TechNet submitted robust comments to the U.S. Copyright Office on AI and copyright law.
  • TechNet submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget on government use of AI.
  • John Doerr, TechNet co-founder and Executive Council member and Chairman of Kleiner Perkins, and Steve Case, TechNet Executive Council member and Chairman and CEO of Revolution, recently participated in a Senate AI Insight Forum focused on innovation and global competitiveness.
  • TechNet sent a letter to Senate AI leaders on AI and elections.
  • TechNet hosted a marquee event on Capitol Hill that brought together over 250 interested parties and 25 expert speakers to discuss the positive impact AI is having and will have on all Americans from every walk of life. Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Google DeepMind Senior Research Director Douglas Eck, Getaround Founder and CEO Sam Zaid, Nasdaq Chief Technology Officer/Chief Information Officer Brad Peterson, and other industry leaders participated. You can watch the event here.
  • TechNet submitted comments to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health in advance of its hearing on AI and healthcare.
  • TechNet submitted comments to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) urging them to enforce their existing authority on “fraudulent misrepresentation” and bar deliberately misleading campaign communications generated with AI.
  • TechNet submitted comments to the Office of Science and Technology Policy as they were developing their National AI Strategy.
  • TechNet submitted comments to the Office of Science and Technology Policy on automated systems in the workplace.
  • TechNet submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on AI system accountability measures and policies.